Portland’s History with Fluoride
Portland is the largest city in the United States that does
not have fluoride in its water. The topic was highly debated by the city in the
early 2000s, and a loud majority of voters argued against the chemical due to
its potential adverse health effects and the lack of personal freedom regarding
the issue. A 2013 vote confirmed that Portlanders did not want fluoride included
in their water, although city officials continue to push for its addition.
https://www.opb.org/news/article/portland-oregon-water-fluoridation-history-explained/
Benefits of Fluoride
Daily intake of fluoride has been proven to increase bone
density, thus acting as a preventative measure toward cavities. It also kills
off harmful bacteria in the mouth and helps re-mineralize cavities that may
already exist. The main fear of fluoridation is that people will consume too
much, but that is a rare occurrence that tends to affect children who swallow higher
concentrated dental products like toothpaste and mouthwash. Since Portland is
the largest city without fluoride in its water, it is clear that fluoride can
be utilized in a safe and healthy way.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6195894/
The Impact on Houseless Individuals
This seems cut and dry. Especially as inflation continues to
spike the costs of dental hygiene products, drinking city water with fluoride is
the cheapest way for homeless people to care for their oral hygiene. Since we
are one of the few cities that provides public drinking fountains, adding fluoride
to their water would greatly benefit those who use it, without impacting
homeowners who do not want their water fluoridized. As Portlanders, it is vital
that we care for our neighbors, and adding fluoride to certain water sources
may be the first step to offering a helping hand.
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