July 5, 2000
For the past year, dozens of dentists along the Wasatch Front have been gathering signatures to put the issue of fluoridating water on November's ballot.
At the same time, opponents have been working to prevent a public vote.
We bring you the controversial issue in today's Family Now report.
From the 1950s through the 1970s, anti-fluoride rhetoric was often tied to the Cold War.
Dr. Richard Ellis/Dentist: "BACK IN THE 60S, MY FATHER WAS A DENTIST AND ONE OF THE REASONS THEY PUT FORWARD FOR NOT HAVING FLUORIDE WAS A COMMUNIST PLOT."
Today, the issue is more often framed as one of personal freedom versus government intrusion.
The ultraconservative Eagle Forum is among its opponents.
Other opponents claim fluoride carries unknown health risks, even calling it "rat poison" or "toxic."
But fluoride supporters say Utah's low fluoridation rate -- less than 3 percent of its drinking water -- is the reason Utah children have 40 percent more tooth decay than kids nationwide.
Dr. Richard Ellis/Dentist: "PEOPLE WHO'VE HAD FLUORIDE FROM BIRTH AND THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TEETH, THEY'RE SO FAR AHEAD. IT'S JUST SUCH AN ADVANTAGE."
And they say it could ultimately prevent bigger problems for adults.
Dr. Richard Ellis/Dentist: "FILLINGS WEAKEN TEETH AND CAN CAUSE BREAKS AND FRACTURES. YOU'RE AVOIDING A LOT OF THINGS LIKE CROWNS, ROOT CANALS, SOME OF THE MORE UNPLEASANT DENTAL PROCEDURES. SO YOU'RE BASICALLY SET FOR LIFE."
The petition isn't due for a couple of weeks, but the group Utahns for Better Dental Health believes it already has enough signatures to get it on the ballot.
Brigham City and Helper are the only Utah cities with fluoridated water.
But the fluoride vote is losing some teeth in Weber, Davis and Utah counties because of concerns that voting precincts don't match up with water districts.
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