Residents of Richmond, Vermont, a small town of around 4,100 people, were shocked when an official in the town’s water department admitted that he had lowered fluoride levels in the town’s water system starting almost four years ago. The residents got concerned about their children’s dental health, and the revelations brought about discussions about misinformation about adding fluoride to water.

One of Richmond’s residents was vocal about her concerns in a town meeting last week, saying that her dentist recently found cavities when he examined her children’s teeth. She said that even though they consume too much sugar, her dentist told her not to use supplemental fluoride because the town’s water supply should be adequate.

She added that her dentist gave the recommendations presuming that the town’s water supply met the state standards of fluoridation, which were, actually, not being met.  “I’m angry that residents are not involved in the decision-making process to lower fluoride content in their water,” she said.

The US was the first country to accept water fluoridation throughout the country, which started in the 1940s. Many people in the US are against the countrywide practice, and many countries in the world do not add fluoride to their water for various reasons.

People against the practice say that health risks associated with fluoride are not fully understood and that its addition to public water systems might cause unnecessary medication. The US government lowered its water fluoride recommendation in 2015 after some children got white spots on their teeth from too much fluoride.

While white spots on teeth are a cosmetic problem, the American Dental Association says that fluoride, mixed with some naturally occurring minerals like iron, oxygen, and salt, can harm the teeth in large doses.

According to the CDC, water fluoridation helps reduce tooth decay by 25% in the right amounts. In 2018, the CDC also reported that about 70% of the US population had access to adequate fluoride in their water systems to help prevent cavities. People in Richmond were shocked when they realized their water was not meeting the recommended fluoridation amounts.

Kendall Chamberlin, the man in charge of water and wastewater in Richmond, told the Water and Sewer Commission that he decided to reduce the fluoride levels because he was concerned about the source of the fluoride and the levels that are recommended.

He told the commission that he was worried about the quality of the fluoride because it was sourced from China, so he thought it might be of lower quality. He also said that he thought the state’s recommended levels were too high.

Chamberlin said, “My duty is to take reasonable care and judgment for the protection of public health, safety and the environment of my customers,” adding that “to err on the side of caution is not a bad position to be in.”

Tracy Boehmer, the CDC spokesperson, said that although two of the three fluoride additives used in the country’s water systems come from China, they are put under very strict standards and tested and certified to ensure their safety.

Chamberlin’s decision stunned both residents and doctors. Several doctors said it was inappropriate for one person to make a unilateral decision that affected all town residents, especially the children.

Although water naturally contains fluoride, in most cases, it is not enough to prevent tooth decay, so some countries, including the US, decided to fluoridate water artificially.

Every town that fluoridates its water must maintain the recommended levels and report monthly to their state’s health department.

Chamberlin apologized to the town for his actions in the water commission meeting, and Richmond’s water fluoridation levels are expected to be returned to full fluoridation levels.