Decision to remove fluoride from Cambridge City water supply to wait another month
CAMBRIDGE CITY, Ind. — Officials for Cambridge City still weren't comfortable deciding on whether to remove fluoride from its water supply at Monday's town council meeting.
The vote was ultimately tabled to the council's next meeting, on Oct. 14, to allow more research before the vote.
Chris Stapleton, Cambridge City town employee, provided information from a 2018 article by The International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology that included 10 reasons to oppose water fluoridation.
Some of the reasons included those Stapleton previously stated, such as fluoride coming from other sources and that an excess amount is linked to Alzheimer's, cancer and diabetes, as well as skepticism that it works to prevent tooth decay and discrimination against those with lower incomes.
Dr. John Roberts, a dentist from Connersville, attended the meeting to speak against the removal, saying residents can get drinking water without fluoride through other means, such as bottled water or putting a filter on the tap.
Roberts also said that in his work as a dentist, out of 40 kids, he would see three without cavities, but upon the addition of more fluoride, the reverse would occur.
Roberts' statements in favor of the use of fluoride resulted in the council deciding to continue more research.
The topic of removing fluoride from the town's water supply initially came up at the council's August meeting when Stapleton suggested that the use of it is no longer beneficial to people as it was decades ago, adding that it could save the town money as well.
Evan Weaver is a news and sports reporter at The Palladium-Item. Contact him on X (@evan_weaver7) or email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Decision to remove fluoride from Cambridge City water to wait a month