Reactions Continue To Emerge As Osage Beach Mulls Idea Of Removing Fluoride From Water

Reaction continues about efforts being made to discontinue the longstanding practice of incorporating fluoride into the drinking water in Osage Beach.

Mayor Michael Harmison, behind the effort, recently spoke at the board of aldermen meeting and on KRMS Radio and TV saying the list of countries discontinuing the practice is growing and that city water is already naturally fluoridated.

Longtime lake area dentist Ron Massie, also speaking on KRMS, doesn’t agree with discontinuing the fluoride saying it’s not about politics but rather the future of our children’s oral and dental health.

“Water fluoridation does nothing for the adult dentition, but for the developing, developing child it is huge. The other kind of fluoride that people think will replace that, and it will not, is fluoride containing toothpaste and mouth rinses and and and so that is a topical effect.”

The Osage Beach board tabled any consideration of an ordinance to discontinue adding fluoride to the drinking water due to a 90-day process to allow for public comment as mandated by the state.