New York City Council Proposes Legislation to Eliminate Fluoride from Public Water Supply
In a surprising turn of events, the City Council in New York City has proposed a bill to ban fluoride from the city's drinking water. The bill's lead sponsor, Democratic Council Member James Gennaro, has expressed concerns about potential health risks from overexposure to fluoride.
Gennaro believes that the research he has seen so far points in the direction of de-fluoridation. This stance is based on studies suggesting a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure in children and lower I.Q. scores. An analysis published by the National Institutes of Health found this association, while noting that it did not cover the benefits of fluoridated water and was not meant to address its broader public health implications.
The bill's supporters have referred to the addition of fluoride as "forced medication" of the population. However, it's important to note that fluoride in drinking water is widely accepted by dentists as beneficial for children's oral health and cavity prevention. Fluoride is not added to the drinking water in Nassau or Suffolk counties.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study that found a rising prevalence of dental fluorosis among adolescents in the early 2000s. Dental fluorosis is a condition that results in white spots or brown discoloration of the teeth, which is usually harmless but can affect the appearance of teeth.
Council Member Gennaro aims to get more input on the idea of banning fluoride from experts. He has been working with a professor at Queens College to research the issue further, although the professor's name has not been disclosed.
It's worth mentioning that the MAHA movement, of which Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a part, is skeptical of established medicine and has put federal government's existing vaccine recommendations in its crosshairs. Kennedy, a health secretary known for "Make America Healthy Again," is personal friends with Council Member James Gennaro, but did not directly introduce the bill to ban fluoride.
The bill requires the city to provide free fluoride supplements to anyone who requests them. In 2011, the HHS lowered the recommended level of fluoride in water from a range of .7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter to .7 as the optimal level. The effect of higher fluoride levels on I.Q. scores was observed at a fluoride exposure level of 1.5 milligrams per liter, which is double the amount added to New York City's drinking water.
The debate over fluoride in drinking water is complex and multifaceted, with both benefits for oral health and potential risks for cognitive development to consider. As the bill moves through the City Council, it will be interesting to see how the conversation evolves and what conclusions are reached.
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