WOODLAWN, Tenn. (WTVF) — It started as a single letter from Julie Bisgaard's water company. "I get this notice from the Woodlawn Utility District about fluoride," said Bisgaard, who has lived in the Woodlawn community for years.
She's now researched so much on the topic of fluoride in drinking water, that it's flooded her kitchen counter with papers. "I’m a researcher by nature," Bisgaard admitted. "Then I start talking to talking to some of my friends and they’re like — yea we’ve been hearing about this too."
The Woodlawn Utility District in Montgomery County is exploring the idea of removing fluoride from their tap water. Before we started our interview, Paul Clay, a water treatment operator for the agency asked us to watch a series of YouTube videos and printed a bundle of academic studies that claim high fluoride exposure can lead to health problems. "Maybe kidney and liver function problems, neurological problems in younger children," said Clay.
Clay thinks a better route is to take fluoride out of the water and let individuals exclusively rely on fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwash. "Us taking it out of the water gives the public that choice to make for themselves on how much they put in their body," said Clay.
"It's a lifesaver"
But Dr. Leon Stanislav, a Clarksville dentist who previously chaired the National Fluoridation Advisory Committee, says fluoride in the water ensures even the poorest among us get life-saving dental protections. "To me, it’s a lifesaver," said Stanislav. "Septicemia can kick in really quickly, meningitis, that kid could end up in the hospital, that kid could potentially die. As a matter of fact, it’s impossible to quantify how many lives have been saved by water fluoridation."
He called fluoride a great equalizer. "There are people in Tennessee who cannot afford a fluoride toothpaste, there are people in Tennessee who can’t afford a toothbrush. There are certainly people who don’t see a dentist and there are a lot of people who are not health literate in terms of prevention," said Stanislav.
Stanislav pointed to several communities, like Juneau, Alaska, and Calgary, Alberta that have removed fluoride only to reverse the decision years later due to serious health problems reported in their communities.
He also contends several of the studies Woodlawn Utilities gave us have been debunked or retracted, or were conducted in communities where fluoride levels were way higher than levels reported in Tennessee. "You show me any reputable report anywhere that shows one person has died or was seriously harmed by drinking optimally fluoridated tap water. You just aren’t going to be able to do that," he said.
Speaking out
Julie's own research points to that conclusion too. "I think we need to look at experts," said Bisgaard. "If we take out fluoride, we’re hurting the most vulnerable of our population."
That's why she plans to attend next week's meeting and let her opinions flow. "The more I research it, I really feel like we need it," said Bisgaard.
If you want to attend
The Woodlawn Utility District is holding a public meeting about the fluoride change this upcoming Tuesday, December 17th, at 7:30 in the morning at the water district office located at 2172 Woodlawn Road, Woodlawn, TN 37191. The water authority will take a vote on the matter at the conclusion of the meeting.
Does your community use fluoride?
Several Middle Tennessee communities have already dropped fluoride from their drinking water. The most notable example we found was Spring Hill, home to a growing community and the General Motors plant. If you'd like to see if your community has fluoridated the water supply or removed it already, you can access this list from the CDC.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@newschannel5.com.
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