​Fluoride in Denver Water

For more than 50 years, Denver water has been following national guidelines on adding fluoride to public water. Fluoridation became an official policy of the U.S. Public Health Service by 1951, and by 1960 water fluoridation had become widely used in the U.S.

In April 2015 new standards and guidelines on fluoride were issued recommending a level of 0.7 parts per million for warmer climates, where people drink more water, to 1.2 parts per million in cooler areas. The new standard is 0.7 everywhere.

Travis Thompson, a spokesperson for Denver Water says that Denver has always been at the .7mg level so they were not impacted by the new standards, ” but recently a small group of individuals has actually asked us to look at that policy, so our Board who regularly revisits policy and procedures to make sure we’re in line with industry best practices and other recommendations from outside experts, asked us to hold an information session for them just so that we can provide them with the latest science as it relates to managing fluoride levels in our drinking water.”

The Denver Water Board will host a public information meeting on Wednesday July 29th from 1-3.30pm. and will hear from 6 presenters, 3 in favor of fluoridation and 3 against. One of those speaking against the practice is Dr. Paul Connett with the Fluoride Action Network. He says studies have shown fluoride to be a neuro toxin particularly in babies and small children.

“You should never use the public water supply to deliver medical treatment or medicine, because you can’t control the dose, you can’t control who it goes to – it goes to everybody and you’re violating individual rights to informed consent.”

Dr. Brett Kessler, immediate past President of the Colorado Dental Association is one of 3 dentists speaking in favor of fluoridation at Wednesdays meeting. He says there have been no legitimate scientific studies showing harm from fluoride in low doses. “Fluoride first of all is very safe and fluoride is an amazing initiative to help prevent tooth decay and has cut down tooth decay by 25-35% in different demographics. We as dentists feel that it is a major, major prevention of tooth decay.”

Denver Water’s fluoride information meeting is happening Wednesday July 29th 1-3.30pm.