In light of the city of Ocala’s decision to remove a fluoridation provision from its code of ordinances and clear fluoride from its water supply, several residents have shared their opinions about the topic in letters to the editor. Here are a few of those reader’s opinions:
“I believe fluoride in the drinking water is indeed causing issues with people with losing bone mass and having joint issues. I never had an issue in my life with cavities but I am starting to get cavities and also having the worst joint problems and my bones are aching. I couldn’t pick anything up without dropping it at 34 years old, until I started taking calcium with vitamin D3 and K2 in it, and since taking the supplements, it seems to be getting better. But a 34-year-old shouldn’t have joint and bone issues. I had zero cavities, but my teeth were disintegrating from underneath my gums and I know a lot of people that the same thing has happened.” – Michelle Marchant, Ocala
“It is now a known fact that fluoride in our drinking water was, and continues to be, poison to our kids. It is a fact. This doctor who is pleading with our elected leaders to keep poison in our water is part of the fluoride board, and as such, he is biased and paid. Our leaders need to follow federal law. Our leaders need to protect their citizens, who vote for them (or not). Other options, much safer, do exist. Toothpaste with fluoride is available. Don’t listen to these doctors or others with skin in some game that we don’t need to be playing.” – Steven Jankowski, Ocala
“Fluoride is a highly toxic industrial waste product that comes from the manufacture of aluminum and fertilizer. Just look at your fluoride toothpaste and read the warning, ‘do not swallow,’ and ‘use a pea size amount to help prevent swallowing.’ Dental cavities in Europe diminished over the past decades, despite having long ago eliminated fluoride from European drinking water. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated that water fluoridation not only does not help prevent cavities, it also poisons the patient. Fluoridation of the country’s water supply was a brilliant deception cooked up by the manufacturers of aluminum to rid themselves of huge amounts of the toxic fluoride that resulted from their manufacturing processes. If you still want fluoride for your teeth, despite ‘the science’ clearly indicating no benefit, then buy yourself a fluoride mouth rinse and let the rest of us have clean drinking water without toxic fluoride. After all, how many ‘drugs’ would you want added to our community water supplies? How about blood pressure medicines and birth control medicines and a dozen other medicines added to our water supply because it’s ‘good for you’ and ‘good for society.’ Keep the deadly additives out of our community water supplies, please.” – Anthony Holland, Ocala
“Why do we need a change in water treatment in Ocala? It has been added to our water since 1961. Leave the water alone, and work on reducing permits for more apartment buildings. Pretty soon the only place you will be able to see a horse will be at the World Equestrian Center. This will fall on deaf ears, I’m afraid. I’m only a tax payer” – Beverly Avery, Ocala