NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WZMQ) – A Negaunee city council meeting on Thursday saw many people coming to speak on both sides of opinions about fluoride in Marquette County water.
One concern is based around some studies finding lower I.Q. levels in children drinking water containing higher amounts of fluoride. According to numerous dentists at the meeting, since the beginning of low level fluoridation in drinking water, a decrease in cavities and tooth decay has been found across many conducted studies.
Currently, Marquette county adds the C.D.C. Recommended level of 0.7 parts per million (PPM) to its water. A majority of speakers at the meeting have worked in dentistry for years, such as Dr. Katelyn Wetton of Ishpeming.
“I mainly wanted to speak tonight on the fact that our most vulnerable populations, being our kids, elderly, and also those with special needs, are really the highest risk for the removal of fluoride from our water, causing significant issues with dental decay and infection,” said Wetton.
Another topic spoken of was on the shortage of dental workers in the area to fight these concerns, with some clinics booked out for months at a time.