Salt Lake City (KTVX) – The signature of the governor of Utah is now everything that lies between a state ban on water fluoridation after the Bill 81 house has cleared its last hurdle in the legislature on Friday.
If this draft law is signed in the law, Utah would also be the first state to initiate a complete fluoride ban in public water systems-without which cities or municipalities can decide whether the mineral should be added with cavities in their places.
HB 81Also referred to as fluoride changes, instead, pharmacists enable fluoride tablets to be prescribed for those who need fluoride as an alternative delivery method.
“I do not deny that there can be positive advantages of fluoride, which is why the law also contains a deregulation of the recipe”. “This is not an anti-fluoride legislation, but a pro-informed consent and the individual choice.”
The debate in the legislative did not take long. A low presentation was submitted by the sponsor of the invoice. Sen. Kirk Cullimore, R-Utah County, followed by some comments and concerns from senators. Concerned concerns two counties In Utah you voted to add fluoride to your water systems.
“I don’t really have a dog in the fight, whether we fluorate our water or not.” Sen. Todd WeilerR-Davis County told colleagues during the debate. “But I’m not sure if I know the legislature [local counties] that their local authorities cannot do what their residents voted for. “
Sen. Lincoln FillmoreR-Salt Lake County, rose in favor of the bill and said that there is a difference between fluoride to water systems and of course occurring fluoride, and that adding fluoride to a “universal good” for those who have not decided wrong Was fluoride. He also raised cost concerns and said that most fluoride was wasted on lawns and bathrooms.
The law was passed on Friday in a mixed partisan vote of 18-8-3with members of both parties who vote for and against the measure.
If the Republican Governor Spencer Cox were signed, the law would stop all current water systems in all public water systems by May 7, 2025. From 2024, Utah has 484 public water systems66 of them add fluoride to their water systems. These systems serve around 1.6 million people in several counties in Utah.
Nexstar’s KTVX turned to a comment to Cox’s office. A representative said that he checked the legislative template and the governor’s office would provide more information if available further information.
What is water fluoride?
Water fluoridation is the effect of raising naturally occurring fluoride levels in water systems to support the oral health of those who drink. The centers for the control of the disease recommend a measure of 0.7 milligrams per liter, This corresponds to three drops within a 55-gallon barrel. Small amounts are advantageous for oral health, explain experts, but but An excess of fluoride Can cause Toothfluorosis (a change in the appearance of teeth) as well as in children and in children Digestion problems.
According to Lorna Koci, who leads the oral health coalition in Utah in Utah mouth health, fluoridation is also the most cost-effective way to prevent the meter on a enormous scale.
“I think [Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s] The opportunity with his beliefs and now apply them to get into the door to stop the fluoridation of the water, ”said Koci. Kennedy has expressed skepticism compared to the fluoridation of water, which is considered one of the greatest achievements in public health of the last century.
She added that fluoridated public water is often the only form of preventive dental care for some people, and the effects in residents with low income in Utah can be best evident.
Fluoride strengthens the teeth and reduces the cavities by replacing minerals according to the CDC during normal wear. Almost two thirds of the US population drink fluoridated water.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
