STUART, Fla. — On Tuesday, the city of Stuart officially paused adding fluoride to their water.
“I did hear they were taking it out,” said Eric Day, who lives in Stuart.
Day said he was supportive of the pause.
“I think it’s good,” said Day. “ I don’t think I really wanted any additives in my food or my water.”
Some people, like Stephanie Oakes from Palm City, said they were okay with the fluoride.
“It's been in the water for so long,” said Oakes. “I've never seen any health problems caused from it.”
But Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said otherwise.
He sent a letter on Friday, recommending against the use of it in water because of possible neurological risks.
“It looks to me like something is imminent,” said Michael Mortell, city manager of Stuart.
Mortell told WPTV’s Tyler Hatfield that was a major reason city commissioners decided to temporarily pause the use of fluoride.
“If we need to reinstate it, we’ll reinstate it,” said Mortell. “On the other hand, if we shouldn't reinstate it, we won't. We did not want to find ourselves on the wrong side of a mandate.”
WPTV spoke with local dentist Dr. Vincent McClane at McClane Dentistry to hear an expert opinion about systemic fluoride in the water.
Dr. McClane said while he’s a huge proponent of topical fluoride, he doesn’t mind the decision to get rid of it in our water.
“I don't think you can never have too much good information and the studies that have been done in the past are relatively old,” said McClane. “I think there's more information that can be gathered to find out if it's really safe.”
Mortell emphasized that they want to make access to fluoride a choice.
Mortell said while there’s a pause, the city will begin offering fluoride toothpaste to anyone who needs it.
