SUD Hears From Concerned Residents About Fluoridation

The Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties invited SUD customers to comment on the issue of fluoridation at the Dec. 18 business meeting. More than 15 visitors attended, a record in his six years of service, according to SUD president Cliff Huffman.

Huffman provided background on the topic. In keeping with a revised recommendation from the Center for Disease Control, in March 2011 SUD reduced the amount of fluoride it added to .7 ppm (parts per million), the minimum CDC recommendation, Huffman said. The CDC supports fluoridation of public water supplies because it reduces tooth decay; however, too much fluoride is toxic and can lead to fluorosis, the developmental disturbance of dental enamel. In some areas of the world, toxic levels of fluoride occur naturally in the water, Huffman said. Consequently, the World Health Organization advises healthcare providers to monitor local populations for excessive exposure. 

Huffman consulted Sewanee pediatrician Dr. Amy Evans, who reported that she has not seen fluorosis in children in our community.

Area dentists Dr. Bruce Baird and Dr. Bob Childress likewise reported seeing little to no evidence of fluorosis. Baird said the lowered CDC recommendation takes into account the amount of fluoride most people receive in toothpaste. SUD manager Ben Beavers said untreated water on the Plateau contains .06 ppm of fluoride. 

Visitors commented on evidence of negative health effects, in addition to fluorosis, and on the benefits that corporations reap from the practice of fluoridation. (Fluoride is a byproduct of manufacturing fertilizer.) One visitor’s comment about toxicity differences between naturally occurring and manufactured fluoride prompted another visitor to observe that both compounds were toxic at excessive levels. Several visitors stressed that they wanted to have a choice about whether to ingest fluoride. One guest pointed out that a filter system to remove fluoride costs more than $400. Visitors presented the board with a petition signed by more than 100 SUD customers asking SUD to stop adding fluoride.

In response, Dr. Baird said there are many “indigent mouths” in the area, estimating that roughly 25 percent of the population did not receive adequate dental care and would be penalized by removing fluoride.

SUD Commissioner Ken Smith said evidence from communities that had stopped adding fluoride would provide new data in the near future, but until such evidence prompted the CDC to revise its recommendation, he could not support eliminating fluoride from SUD’s water treatment practices.

A visitor asked if SUD added other chemicals besides fluoride which were not for purification. Smith answered affirmatively, noting that SUD also adds phosphate to the water. (Phosphate prevents the leeching of copper and lead from pipes and fixtures.)

Another visitor questioned SUD’s authority to add fluoride to the water. Beavers will research the issue and report at the next meeting on Jan. 22.

In discussion, the commissioners voiced agreement with the current policy, but said they would continue to review new evidence.

Huffman thanked the visitors for their insight and input.

Voting in the SUD commissioner election will be open 8 a.m.–4 p.m., Jan. 2–22, at the SUD office on Sherwood Road.