- February 25, 2025
Editor's note: This editorial was presented to the Ormond Beach City Commission during public comments at the Feb. 18 commission meeting.
I devoted most of my 40-year professional engineering career to protecting public health by ensuring safe and healthy drinking water for large communities. These included the 1.6 million consumers in the metropolitan Baltimore area, and the millions of people on U.S. Army installations worldwide. So I know a bit about safe and healthy drinking water including fluoridation.
I urge you to reconsider your recent decision to eliminate fluoridation from our drinking water.
This was a dangerous and reckless act with far-reaching consequences. This decision could not have been based on the more than 80 years of proven medicine, science and fact, but instead I presume on the political anti-fluoridation pressure exerted by State Surgeon General Ladapo.
This political pressure focused on the adverse effects of over-exposure to excessively high levels of fluoride. It disregarded the tremendous beneficial impact of nominal, optimal fluoridation in community water supplies. For reference, “optimal” fluoridation — defined as the recommended fluoride concentration in drinking water — is 0.7 milligrams per liter, or about 1 drop in a 55 gallon barrel. Physicians and dentists take the Hippocratic Oath to “Do no harm.”
You, too, took an oath as City Commissioners to serve our citizens well. Knowing that, let me state the facts about safe, optimal drinking water fluoridation.
Fact no. 1: The lack of safe, optimal community water fluoridation results in widespread and disastrous health effects from tooth decay.
2024 data from the CDC reports that already up to 1-in-5 children in the U.S. suffers from tooth decay and cavities. Here in Florida, it’s worse: 1-in-4 third graders have untreated cavities. By age 9, almost half of our kids have experienced tooth decay, fillings, or missing teeth; often with pain, infections, and missed school days. These stats will far worsen as fluoride is removed from drinking water.
Furthermore, untreated tooth decay can result in serious long-term health problems, and can have adverse psychological effects on our kids, such as a loss of self-esteem and even bullying.
Fact no. 2. Increased costs.
It is expensive enough to pay for regular dental visits, but think about the burden of the high cost of remedial dental measures on young families, many of whom live from paycheck to paycheck. This financial burden will worsen without optimal community water fluoridation.
Fact no. 3. Safe, optimal fluoridation yields tremendous positive and long-term health benefits.
Fluoridation has revolutionized dentistry and healthcare. The proper optimal fluoridation process is safe. It is not toxic. Optimal fluoridation prevents tooth decay and cavities, strengthens tooth enamel, protects against decay-causing bacteria and increases bone density.
In fact, community water fluoridation is hailed as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. It is a cornerstone strategy in the U.S. and around the world for preventing cavities and improving health.
Well-respected health organizations including the Florida Dental Association, the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC are adamant in supporting appropriate fluoridation of community water supplies, a practice here in Ormond Beach since 1958!
The ADA says “…community water fluoridation prevents at least 25% of tooth decay in children and adults throughout their life span. The scientific weight of the sound evidence around the benefits … is clear and compelling.”
Have you talked with your dentist yet to get the facts on optimal water fluoridation?
In conclusion, commissioners, our public health depends on you fulfilling your oath to us. In this age of misinformation and disinformation, it is fundamental that you research, fact-check, and speak with various experts before making decisions impacting the health and well-being of our community. These are precarious times. I urge you to ignore the political noise, listen to legitimate medical professionals, and heed the past 67 years in Ormond Beach of proven, science-based, fact-based, positive health results. I urge you to “do no further harm” and promptly restore the safe and optimal fluoridation of our city water supply.
And if you feel further information is needed, then I urge you to re-establish the city’s environmental committee with legitimate experts to advise you first and foremost on this issue.
Thank you all for your commitment to our city, and for your serious attention to this important public health crisis.
Jerry Valcik, is a retired professional engineer. He is a fellow with the National Society of Professional Engineers, holds an advanced degree in environmental health protection, a master of science in environmental engineering, is a Diplomate Emeritus in the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists and is a life member of the American Association of Water Works.
