PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 16, 2024
On Sept. 24, 2024, a court ruling stated that fluoridation of our water poses an “unreasonable risk” to the health of our children, specifically: pregnant women, formula-fed infants and young children. The EPA will now be forced to regulate fluoride in water. Portland currently fluoridates our water, but perhaps it’s time to rethink that. The level that is considered “optimal” currently in the U.S. is 0.7 parts per million, which is also the target in Maine. Unfortunately, this level has been cited to cause an unreasonable risk of reduced IQ in children. The EPA can no longer ignore this risk, and we shouldn’t either. ~ Kara Dooley, Portland