Fluoride has been added to drinking water since the 1940s to improve dental health.
It is not a requirement in public drinking water systems in Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin DNR says it’s gotten “many recent inquiries” regarding fluoride in drinking water. It’s led the agency to launch a Fluoride FAQ page.
Fluoride at the levels recommended is considered safe.
Various health organizations like the American Academy of Pedatrics and the American Dental Association recommend fluoridated water to protect teeth.
There is a growing anti-fluoridation movement in the U.S., especially after a report last summer that found high levels of fluoride, higher than what is recommended in drinking water, are associated with lower IQ in children.
Tomahawk Advisory Referendum
Voters in the City of Tomahawk will share their thoughts next week on if the city should keep fluoridating the water.
According to reporting by the Tomahawk Leader, the city stopped fluoride treatments after it ran into corrosion issues in the storage room that houses the city’s fluoride additive and other chemicals.
In December, the city council decided to put an advisory referendum on the April 1 ballot to learn where the public stands on the issue.
A 2023 Community Health Assessment by the Lincoln County Health Department found that 42% of residents don’t have dental insurance.
