Those old enough to remember the early days of fluoridation of drinking water also remember the controversy it caused. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, many people thought it was a communist plot to undermine public health.
Most public officials that added fluoride to the town or city’s drinking water claimed that it helped prevent tooth decay.
Whatever side you were on, fluoridation continued.
This week, Knox Mayor Rick Chambers brought up the fluoridation of Knox’s water supply during the City Council meeting. It seems the fluoride treatment might be diluted on the state’s recommendation.
“There’s state laws and they are looking at reducing the limits of fluoride that is in the city water,” stated Mayor Chambers. “There’s naturally-occurring fluoride in our water to begin with and they’re looking at dropping the limits from, I think, 1.2 parts per billion to .7 parts per billion because there is so much fluoride toothpaste and stuff like that now so now they think that’s too much. It’s just something they’re looking at.”
There was no word on when the reduction will occur in the Knox water supply.
