July 12, 2015
Local dentist, Dr. Thomas Pedavoli wants to make sure the citizens of Culver are aware of a discussion the Culver Town Council will have on Tuesday, July 14th on fluoridation of their municipal water service.
In a letter Pedavoli said, “There is a great deal of misinformation about fluoride being presently reviewed by the Culver Town Council.” He said, “Prevention and education programs are the best avenue to prevent tooth decay. The optimal fluoridation of municipal water supplies is one of the safest and most effective public heath measures for preventing, controlling and in some cases, reversing tooth decay.”
At the June 15th Culver Town Council meeting, Utility Manager, Bob Porter told council members that he felt .3ppm naturally occurring fluoride in the well water was adequate. He was concerned with corrosion issues the fluoridation of the municipal water has caused. He also stated that fluoridation of water is not operator friendly.
Dr. Pedavoli says a level of .7ppm of fluoride is needed to optimally prevent tooth decay as recommended by Health and Human services. The average cost for a small community to fluoridate the municipal water is $3 a year per person compared to the average cost of a filling in his office at $150.
Mr. James Powers, Indiana State Department of Health Fluoride Coordinator, addressed the Town Council regarding the current corrosion issue and suggested switching to a powder system utilizing new equipment in a well ventilated room to alleviate the problem.
Dr. Pedavoli said, “If you wish to protect your teeth, your children’s teeth and Culver’s overall dental health, please support water fluoridation and make your voice heard at Tuesday’s meeting.”