Nebraska Sen. Ben Hansen introduced a bill that would remove a mandate requiring certain communities in the state to add fluoride to their water supply, KOLN reported March 12.
Communities with more than 1,000 residents have been required to fluoridate their water since 2008. Sen. Hansen is pushing for water fluoridation to become optional instead, citing the potentially negative health effects from fluoride.
The Nebraska Dental Association has joined dentists and pediatricians in backing water fluoridation as a beneficial public health measure. Timothy Tesmer, MD, Nebraska’s chief medical officer, also voiced his support for water fluoridation, calling it “one of the most successful public health interventions in history.”
Legislative Bill 147 was introduced in January.