Some Mississippi water systems are stopping fluoride programs. Here’s why

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - A number of water systems in Mississippi have stopped adding fluoride, including at least one in South Mississippi.

It’s a debate that has already been in the spotlight on the national level.

The debate is typically dominated by fears that the chemical is actually causing more harm than good. While that is a concern from some, the Mississippi State Department of Health told WLOX News, the move away from fluoride is really driven by something else.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring element found in water. In Mississippi, the majority of water systems draw from deep wells of ground water, which often contain some level of fluoride. Since the 1940s, many states have opted to add more fluoride to fight tooth decay.

Around the country, and in Mississippi, that is chan