City of Lakeland to hear from public before deciding on fluoride in water supply
LAKELAND. Fla. - The City of Lakeland is now the latest city in Polk County considering whether to discontinue adding fluoride to its water supply.

Fluoride in drinking water.
During a commission meeting on Tuesday, City Commissioners voiced their thoughts on the chemical.
City commissioners weigh in
What they're saying:
"The harm that's potential, whether there has been exhaustive information or not, to me is enough that I don't see a benefit to keeping it," said Commissioner Mike Musick.
"Me personally, I could go either way on that; however, I'm not personally in favor of adding anything to my water that doesn't already exist," said Commissioner Guy LaLonde Jr. "But, I also think it's important that people understand fluoride occurs naturally in our local city water at .23."
The backstory:
The City of Winter Haven discontinued adding more fluoride to its drinking system before the new year.
Florida’s Surgeon General also advised all cities and counties statewide to stop adding fluoride during a news conference in November in Winter Haven.
READ: Florida Surgeon General opposes fluoride in drinking water
"There are other sources of fluoride that people in communities have access to, whether it's brushing with fluoridated toothpaste or brushing with mouthwash," said Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo.

Fluoride in tap water.
"This is something that's not just a dental health issue. It's a general health body issue," said Dr. Johnny Johnson, the president of the American Fluoridation Society, a non-profit. "Without a healthy mouth, you can't have a healthy body. People do die from these infections every single day."
Johnson adds there is no substitute for fluoridated water.
READ: As Florida urges local governments to remove fluoride, areas with experience issue warnings
"You get a high amount when you brush your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste, but it only lasts an hour or two," said Johnson. "Same with mouth rinses, but you need a low level of fluoride mixing with your saliva all day and night long that helps reduce cavities to their maximum."
Debate over fluoride continues
What's next:
City Commissioners say they will listen to both sides before coming to a decision.
The public hearing will be held on Monday, Feb. 17, during a city commission meeting.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Carla Bayron. She gathered details from the City of Lakeland, Florida's Surgeon General and the American Fluoridation Society.
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