New bill aims to remove fluoride from drinking water in Tennessee

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A Tennessee lawmaker is proposing a bill that will make utility companies take fluoride out of drinking water.

District 27 representative Michele Reneau is behind House Bill 2398.

She tells us fluoride was first added to drinking water in the 1940s, after studied found that people who consumed it showed fewer signs of tooth decay.

“It was calcium fluoride, which is the not more natural occurring fluoride, with the hope that it would improve dental caries,” says Reneau.

She says she recently discovered there hasn’t been much research to show that fluoride is improving dental health.

According to her research, Reneau says high amounts of fluoride in water can be harmful to pregnant women and newborns.

We have evidence coming out now that there is concern about the amount of fluoride someone could be getting,” says Reneau.

According to Reneau, House Bill 2398 would give parents a choice on whether to apply fluoride to their water or to remove it.

She says addressing tooth decay and cavities starts with addressing nutrition.

“If we really want to address the root cause of increased dental caries, we need to to consider how we can help folks make better choices.”

Chattanooga parent Justin Jakimiak says he supports having fluoride in tap water.

Jakimiak says that removing it will only end up costing Tennessee families in the long run.

It’s going to increase rates of cavities, which will lead to higher health care costs in fixing those cavities,” says Jakimiak.

He says the fluoride issue should be decided by the public at large.

I think it benefits everybody to have clean and safe drinking water,” says Jakimiak.

If the bill passes, it will go in to effect on July 1st.