Controversy has swirled around the fluoridation of public water ever since it was first introduced in 1945 as a way to help prevent tooth decay, especially for those who could not afford dental care. In the 1950s, opponents claimed adding fluoride—a mineral that naturally occurs in water—was a communist plot to undermine public health. Today, the controversy continues, with fluoride opponents questioning the safety and efficacy of the practice and criticizing the lack of freedom of choice.
On August 25, Acton resident Linsey Hurley, a member of Health Rights MA Advocacy, along with organization cofounder Julie Boras and president Karen Spencer, presented a screening of the 2013 documentary ”Fluoridegate: An American Tragedy” at the Acton Memorial Library. About 20 people were in attendance, including Acton Water Commissioner Erika Amir-Lin, who said she wanted to get a sense of what people were thinking in the community. Directed by David C. Kennedy, DDS (no relation to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., US Secretary of Health and Human Services) the film is critical of the use of fluoride in drinking water.
Before the showing, when asked about why she joined the organization, Hurley simply said, “I got involved because I drink the water.” Spencer spoke about Massachusetts legislation that Health Rights MA Advocacy is supporting banning fluoride, allowing communities to opt out of fluoridation, and adding warning language in water supply reports.
The hour-long documentary begins with ominous music and a view of the US Capitol. In an opening scene, fifth graders from a NYC public school chant, “No fluoridation without representation.” Former EPA scientists, a pediatrician, a politician, and a lawyer all express their concerns about drinking fluoridated water, suggesting potential harm, especially to infants. They accuse industry and government agencies of promoting fluoridation despite potential health risks such as skeletal fluorosis and dental fluorosis, the staining or pitting of teeth. Dr. Kennedy, a retired dentist and former president of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, argues that fluoridation “doesn’t do anything to improve the health of this country, and I believe it’s destroying the fabric of our nation.”
Indeed, high concentrations of fluoride can be harmful to people’s health. But scientific research compiled by the American Dental Society (ADA) has shown that lower levels effectively reduce dental decay and remineralize the tooth’s enamel or outer layer. The ADA calls water fluoridation “one of the safest and most beneficial, cost-effective public health measures for preventing, controlling, and in some cases reversing, tooth decay.”
In 1970, the Acton Board of Health voted to adjust the fluoride levels in the town’s drinking water and charged the Acton Water District with fluoridating the water to the prescribed amount. “As a water supplier, we are expected to operate within laws and regulations,” says Water District Manager Matt Mostoller. He notes that in 2015, the federal government’s Public Health Service lowered their target dose for fluoridating water from 1.0 milligram (mg) per liter to 0.7 mg per liter to take into account other sources of fluoride, such as in toothpastes and rinses. The Acton Board of Health and Water District adopted these new standards in 2015.
The level of fluoride found naturally in Acton’s ground water is 0.1 mg per liter. To meet the target amount, sodium fluoride powder is added. “We sample the water every single day to confirm we’re meeting the 0.7 target,” says Mostoller. “If we’re below that target level, we’re theoretically not providing the dental health benefit that is the stated purpose for fluoridating water. If it’s over, that could have potential negative outcomes. The most common established health concerns are dental fluorosis—the staining of the teeth—and some brittleness of the bone over time.”
The US Food and Drug Administration sets a maximum of 0.7 mg per liter of fluoride for bottled water to which manufacturers have added fluoride. For drinking water more generally, the US Environmental Protection Agency has set a legally enforceable, maximum contaminant level of fluoride at 4 mg per liter to protect against adverse effects from long-term exposure where the groundwater is naturally high in fluoride. EPA has also set a secondary maximum contaminant level (or public health guideline) of 2.0 mg per liter to protect against dental fluorosis.
Still the fluoridation controversy continues. Florida and Utah recently banned the addition of fluoride to their public drinking water, and maximum standards set by the EPA are currently under review in coordination with Secretary Kennedy and Health and Human Services.
Nancy Knoblock Hunton is a volunteer writer for the Acton Exchange, with a background in health and science writing.
