On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, the Tallahassee City Commission will receive a briefing from Environmental Services Director Alissa Meyers on the fluoridation of the public water system. Since 1987, Tallahassee has been adding fluoride to its water system per the Leon County public health agency. Shortly before that, the EPA determined the appropriate fluoride levels, and made those recommendations to local governments. However, the decision to add fluoride to the water system lies solely with local governments. Fluoride both helps to prevent cavities from forming in teeth as well as stimulating new bone growth, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that the fluoridation of the water system saves families money. In 2021, the American Medical Association reaffirmed the fluoridation standards and “urg[ed] state health departments to consider the value of requiring statewide fluoridation (preferably a comprehensive program of fluoridation of all public water supplies, where these are fluoride deficient), and to initiate such action as deemed appropriate.” According to recent studies, there is evidence to suggest that fluoridated water might contain more cons than pros. Some believe too much fluoride can cause fluorosis, which damages the tooth’s enamel, and others question whether adding fluoride to the water is necessary given the heavy amounts in toothpaste and other dental care products. “We should recognize that fluoride has beneficial effects on dental development and protection against cavities,” said Dr. Phillipe Grandjean, a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “But do we need to add it to drinking water, so it gets into the bloodstream and potentially into the brain?” The briefing acknowledged that the fluoridation of the water system is an ongoing discussion.