Large Crowd Attends Fluoride Town Meeting

A standing room only crowd showed up for a townhall meeting on the topic of fluoride and Salina water Monday evening.

Pro-fluoridation and anti-fluoridation panels each had 30 minutes each for presentations. They then took questions and comments from the public.

The anti-fluoridation panel consisted of a Dr. from Wichita, a chiropractor from Wichita, a political activist from Wichita, and a Salina teacher. They presented evidence to show that fluoride does not help prevent tooth decay, and that it lowers IQ. They also suggested that it might cause cancer. They ended with a quote from Dr. Dean Burk, a scientist devoted to fluoride opposition. “Fluoridation is a form of public mass murder”.

The pro-fluoridation panel consisted of two dentists, a medical doctor, and a school nurse all from Salina. They presented differing evidence to show that fluoride is safe, and healthy. They showed evidence that fluoride does help prevent tooth decay, and argued that it is safe, healthy, and effective.

The anti-fluoridation panel presented evidence that tooth decay in Salina, a city with fluoridated water, was actually more that in Wichita, a city with non-fluoridated water. The pro-fluoridation panel presented much different evidence which shows Salina having a 45 percent decrease in dental cavities compared to Wichita in 2012 – 2013.

Members of a group called “Salina Cares” previously requested that the meeting be held. “Salina Cares” is working towards ending fluoridation of the City of Salina public water supply. The group believes that fluoride does more harm than good, and wants the city to immediately stop adding fluoride to the water.