Red Deer city council will decide on Monday whether it should invite experts from both sides of the fluoride debate to a panel discussion.
The speaker/panel discussion would happen in early September, if council gives the nod.
The talk would be presented to civic leaders, Red Deerians and regional water users.
“This piece of consultation focuses on whether we should or shouldn’t continue to fluoridate the city’s water supply,” said Tara Shand, acting communications manager.
“People indicated that they want more education around fluoride, and we’re responding to that by giving people an opportunity to hear from people on both sides of the issue.”
This discussion would be the last step before council decides on Oct. 1 whether to move to a plebiscite, which would likely take place on the municipal election ballot in October 2013, or have council debate the issue and make a decision itself.
The city adds fluoride to its municipal water supply in a concentration of less than 0.7 mg/L per the guidelines set out by Health Canada.
Fluoridation of Red Deer’s public water supply is mandated by a plebiscite that was held in the 1950s.
The water treatment plant is legally required to continue this practice.
In early 2009, fluoride was re-introduced into Red Deer’s water supply after more than a year of not having it due to supply shortages.
About 75 per cent of Alberta communities use fluoridated water.
British Columbia is about 95 per cent fluoride-free and Europe is about 98 per cent fluoride-free.
Besides the issue of personal choice, fluoridation opponents believe this chemical is toxic to the human body.
Alberta Health Services disputes this claim, saying scientific studies have not found water fluoridation to cause adverse health effects.
It reports that communities with optimal water fluoride levels have more cavity-free children, and the children who have had decay have less of it. Water fluoridation also works to limit tooth decay in adults, and has an additional positive effect beyond that of using fluoridated toothpaste.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com