Miami-Dade Commissioner Explains Rationale for Removing Fluoride from Drinking Water

Prudent Public Health Decision

• 💡 Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez frames the proposal to remove fluoride from drinking water not as political, but as prudent and rational for the current time.
• 📌 The practice of water fluoridation began in 1945, with Miami-Dade adopting it in 1958, a time when practices like marketing cigarettes as healthy were common.

Evolving Science and Recommendations

• 🔬 The EPA lowered its recommendation for fluoride in drinking water to 0.7 PPM in 2015, a reduction from previous levels.
• ⚠️ A federal judge has asked the EPA to re-evaluate even this amount due to findings that fluoride may pose an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment.
• 📈 The commissioner questions the shifting safety levels (2.4 PPM, 1.2 PPM, 0.7 PPM) and wonders if the next step will be zero.

Trust and Public Health Mandates

• 🤝 The speaker draws a parallel to public trust issues surrounding COVID-19 mandates, emphasizing the need for humility, transparency, and restraint in public health leadership.
• ⚠️ Even if concerns about fluoride are overstated, the speaker advocates for erring on the side of caution due to insufficient knowledge.

Protecting Vulnerable Populations

• 👶 The primary concern is for those without a choice, including infants, children, and pregnant women, particularly in underserved communities.
• 🛠️ Fluoride handlers are warned to use personal protective equipment, and the chemical corrodes injection systems, costing Miami-Dade $400,000 annually for maintenance.
• 🍼 The commissioner questions why fluoride is added to drinking water used for baby formula if it's not allowed in the formula itself.

Modern Alternatives and Freedom of Choice

• 🦷 Fluoride is now widely available through toothpaste, mouthwash, supplements, dental treatments, and food.
• 🏥 Miami-Dade already offers free or low-cost dental resources, ensuring access for those who need it.
• 🚫 The core issue is the lack of freedom to opt out of consuming what is added to public water supplies.

Precedent and Rational Action

• 🌍 Numerous jurisdictions globally have ended water fluoridation due to similar concerns.
• 📊 Utah recently became the first state to remove fluoride statewide, with studies showing no significant increase in the need for fillings in areas that did not fluoridate.
• ✅ Ending water fluoridation is presented as a rational step, not radical, aligning with the principle of 'do no harm' and acknowledging a shifted risk-to-reward balance.