LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- What is in Kentucky's tap water is the subject of a boiling debate among lawmakers in Frankfort.

For the first time, House Republicans advanced a bill that may take fluoride out of tap water across the state.

House Bill 16 would allow local water districts to opt-out of putting fluoride in drinking water.

"House Bill 16 removes the unfunded state mandate on water producers that requires fluoride to be added to water after the water is treated and cleaned for consumption," the bill's sponsor, Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, said in a news release.

Fluoride has been a constant in the state's water systems for more than 70 years, as scientists have long said the mineral helps strengthen teeth and fight cavities. But in recent years, it's come under national scrutiny as a few studies linked higher levels of fluoride to lower IQs among kids and poor bone health.

"Fluoride in water is an unfounded state mandate and forced medication," said Rep. William Lawrence, R-Maysville, a co-sponsor of the bill who has work in water treatment. "... I'm telling you from a personal stance, it's dangerous stuff. I don't allow my children to drink tap water. Their teeth are fine."

Bills that would put a ban on fluoride in drinking water have died in the legislature several times in the last few years. HB 16 doesn't outright ban the mineral, but puts the vote in the hands of local water companies.

"We're going to use the science. We're going to use the experts from the dental and the medical community, and we're going to go to our board, which is the governing body and, right now, based on what we know today, it's likely that we would tell them to continue to fluoridate the drinking water. That would be our recommendation," Kelley Dearing Smith, vice president of Communications and Marketing for Louisville Water, said.

The bill cleared the House Wednesday in a 68-29 vote and now heads to the Senate floor. But it may be all for naught, as a federal judge has called on the EPA to place more regulations on fluoride. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation's new Health and Human Services secretary, said last year "the faster it goes out the better."

"That's a huge concern," said Dr. Stephanie Poynter, Family Health Centers dentist.

A majority of the nation's dentists still support fluoride. Poynter is one of them, and said fluoride is "safe and effective." She's practiced in Louisville for more than two decades, and spent Thursday pulling diseased teeth for the homeless at Family Health Centers.

"It'd be overwhelming to the provider network. We don't have enough dentists to care for the vulnerable populations as it is now," she said. "So if we eliminate fluoride in some of the communities in Kentucky, then that will result in needing more care. We can't even meet the demand now."

According to state reports, five of Kentucky's 120 counties don't have dentists at all and a dozen only have one provider in the county. The state also ranks among the worst in the country for oral health at 48th in the nation, with nearly 45% of adults age 65 and older having lost at least six teeth due to tooth decay or gum disease.

"Without access to routine dental care where they can treat their cavities, and then you don't have fluoride, you're gonna have more cavities," Poynter said. "It's a huge public health problem. Communities will suffer."

Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville, said she sees the potential of Kentuckians, children in particular, having more expensive dental health issues if fluoride is removed from water.

"We were all elected by our constituents to be watchdogs of our taxpayers' money, and $1.9 million, which is the low estimate of what this bill could cost Medicaid and our taxpayers, is a lot of money," Marzian said.

HB 16 would need to pass the Senate before it would be sent to Gov. Andy Beshear's desk for his signature to become law. If Beshear were to veto the bill, Republicans would likely override it with their majorities in both chambers. To read the current version of the bill, click here.

Kentucky's current legislative session adjourns March 28.

Conversations about fluoride in communities' drinking water are happening nationwide. Earlier this week, lawmakers in Utah passed a bill banning fluoride in public drinking water. It's now in the hands of Gov. Spencer Cox, who has not yet signed it. 

If Cox signs the bill, Utah would be the first state ready to put a full ban on fluoride in public water systems. Its bill doesn't allow cities or communities to decide whether to add the cavity-preventing mineral to its water.

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