The Melbourne (Fla.) City Council voted to remove fluoride from its water supply, clickorlando.com reported Jan. 15.
Four notes:
1. The City Council voted 6-1 to end water fluoridation immediately after hearing public debate about the practice during an hourslong meeting.
2. Melbourne is the latest Florida city to end water fluoridation, following Tavares, Naples and Palm Bay.
3. Several Florida cities began weighing the potential effects of water fluoridation after the state's surgeon general recommended against the practice in November. The recommendation came amid national debate fueled by a recent National Toxicology Program report that found higher levels of fluoride exposure are associated with lower IQ in children.
4. The NTP report has been heavily contested by several local and national organizations, with many citing methodological flaws such as insufficient sample sizes.