An Okotoks town councillor wants to make the town’s drinking water fluoride free, but council will consult residents first before making a decision sometime in the spring.
Town administration will report back to council at its Feb. 13 meeting about what will be included in the consultation. Once the community response is gathered a final report will be presented to council on April 9.
Fluoride is added to drinking water supplies in many municipalities across North America as a way to help prevent tooth decay and promote dental health.
Coun. Florence Christophers said she used to support fluoridation of water, but her opinion changed as she investigated the issue.
She argued a growing body of research is showing it has negative effects by hardening bones making them brittle as people age, and increasing the risk of injuries like hip fractures.
“If I had to chose between one less cavity and a hip fracture in my senior years, I’d choose the cavity – it’s easy to fix,” said Christophers. “A hip fracture decimates the quality of life for seniors.”
Ultimately, it should be a person’s choice whether they want to ingest fluoride, she said.
Christophers said the Sheep River has naturally occurring fluoride, while the hydrofluorsilicic acid added to drinking water is not a naturally occurring substance, rather it’s an industrial by-product.
She said fluoride is effective in a topical form and is readily available and affordable for people who want it, either in toothpaste, mouthwash or drops that can be added to water. Christophers wants the Town to put any funds saved by removing the chemical from drinking water towards providing fluoride supplements to low-income people who want it. This would address the concerns that adding fluoride in water supports dental health of low-income people, she said.
The Town first added fluoride to its water in 1980 after the move was supported in a referendum.
Mayor Bill Robertson said residents should again have a say in whether the Town continues the practice. He wants the consultation process to include a survey, a public hearing and speeches from experts on both side of the issue.
“This is their town, they’re the ones drinking the water, we need to make sure when we make a decision we respect their wishes,” he said.
The results of the 1980 vote are not known, but a 1998 referendum saw 1,442 people support keeping fluoride in water over 879 who didn’t.
Two Okotoks dentists say it would be a mistake to remove flouride from drinking water.
Dentist David Williams said putting fluoride in water provides a constant and consistent source for people.
“It’s very well regulated and kept to a percentage that has been shown to be harmless,” he said
The Canadian dental journal Oral Health counters criticism of fluoride saying the quality of evidence for claims fluoride is harmful people’s health is low and “doesn’t show a direct cause and effect relationship.”
Williams said it’s important for people of all ages, but particularly for either children or seniors.
“‘If there’s no fluoride in the water the kids just have extremely high decay rates from a very early age,” he said.
Williams said he sees a difference in the health of teeth in patients who drink fluoridated water over those who use well water that doesn’t have fluoride added in to it.
Dentist Jeff Bilodeau said adding fluoride to water is a cost effective measure to promote public health. He said the cost to the individual of adding fluoride is far less than having a cavity filled.
“There’s nothing that’s been more cost effective for public health,” he said.
Bilodeau said it’s particularly important for lower social economic groups that may not be able to afford regular dental care.
“That’s who fluoridation benefits the most,” he said.
