STUART, Fla. — Newly uncovered emails show Stuart city leaders discussed two federal lawsuits in the days leading up to the city commission's unanimous vote on Nov. 26 to remove fluoride from the water supply.
On Nov. 22, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo issued new guidance recommending against "community water fluoridation" due to its potentially harmful effects.
"Due to the neuropsychiatric risk associated with fluoride exposure, particularly in pregnant women and children, and the wide availability of alternative sources of fluoride for dental health, the state surgeon general recommends against community water fluoridation," the state memo said.
Internal emails obtained by WPTV through a public records request show City Manager Mike Mortell raised concerns about a lawsuit from Buffalo, N.Y., in which a group of people sued the city over its stoppage of fluoride without publication.
A recent opinion by a federal judge in California was also shared among Stuart leaders. The decision, released in September, determined that fluoride presents an "unreasonable risk" to children.
READ FULL DECISION BELOW
About two months later, the Florida surgeon general announced his recommendation to remove the chemical.
At the Stuart City Commission's meeting on Nov. 26, Mortell made his recommendation for the city to "put on hold" its fluoridation program. He acknowledged that voters overwhelmingly approved adding fluoride to the water supply, but he asked commissioners to pause using the chemical, because of the state surgeon general's guidance and potential legal ramifications.
“I do not want to get a call from the state of Florida that we can’t add fluoride to the water — and have been adding fluoride to the water without taking steps," Mortell said.
The internal emails show Mike Woodside, the superintendent for Stuart's water plant, forwarded the California judge’s opinion to employees in Fort Pierce, Indian River County and Port St. Lucie. In an interview with WPTV's Ethan Stein, Woodside said his goal wasn’t to promote any stoppages but rather to keep his colleagues within the industry informed.
“After we got that [ruling], we got the recommendation from the Florida surgeon general. Once we saw that, we knew fluoride’s days were numbered,” Woodside said. “We’re a small community and we kind of watch out for each other.”
IS FLUORIDE BAD?
Marc Edwards, a professor at Virginia Tech who specializes in water quality, was one of the whistleblowers during the Flint Water Crisis. He said flouride has both positive (decreasing tooth decay) and negative effects (weaker bones).
“It’s a debate,” Edwards said. “The most frustrating thing is that the public health authorities for a long time ignored these concerns and portrayed these as being crack pot theories. That’s resulted in a backlash, because they weren’t being reasonable. I don’t think either of those extreme positions were warranted.”
Edwards said there are more efficient ways to get fluoride for your teeth, including fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash.
“In both of those cases you don’t digest it,” he said. “So your teeth get the benefit and your body misses detriments. There’s other ways to achieve the same benefit that are more cost effective and wouldn’t have downsides.”
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Port St Lucie
City temporarily stops adding fluoride amid 'recent concerns'
On Dec. 18, Port St. Lucie announced its utility department would also temporarily stop adding fluoride to the water supply for its 95,000 customers.
The renewed debate over water fluoridation has received national attention lately since President-elect Donald Trump tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy has been an outspoken opponent of adding fluoride to drinking water, saying in a post on X last month that Trump on Jan. 20 will "advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website that fluoridated water "bathes teeth with a low level of fluoride throughout the day" and helps strengthen a tooth's surface, making it more resistant to decay.
"Studies continue to show that widespread community water fluoridation prevents cavities and saves money, both for families and the health care system," the CDC's website said. "Drinking fluoridated water keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities by about 25% in children and adults."
