USA - Fluoride forum draws crowd

Dr. Bill Osmunson, left, answers a question about flouridation Thursday evening while other anti-fluoridation speakers Dr. Nick Dienel, center, and Sean Manning listen. About 70 Philomath residents attended the flouride forum held at Clemens Primary School.

PHILOMATH — About 70 people attended a town hall meeting about fluoride Thursday evening at Clemens Primary School.

Philomath residents will decide in the March 13 special election whether fluoride will be restored to the city’s water supply.

If approved by voters, ballot measure 02-76 would reverse the Philomath City Council’s decision in May to stop adding hydrofluorosilicic acid to the municipal water supply.

The event was organized by Ryan Weeks, director of Fluoride Free Philomath. The group is opposed to Measure 02-76.And while the meeting aimed to give audience members a chance to ask questions of opponents and proponents of fluoride, it was one-sided.
Speaking against water fluoridation was dentist Bill Osmunson, who has practices in various Northwest locations, Medford cardiologist Nick Dienel and community member Sean Manning.
Osmunson’s basic argument is that people are ingesting too much fluoride, while Dienel argued that fluoride causes certain enzymes in the body to act differently, which can result in health issues. Manning stressed that water fluoridation takes away personal freedom.
Representing a neutral position was a group of Oregon State University science students who spent the past week putting together a presentation for the forum.

Meanwhile, the side of the seats reserved for pro-fluoride speakers sat empty. Members of Citizens for Healthy Teeth, the group of that sponsored measure ballot 02-76, chose not to participate in the event................