As votes poured in from Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Southport, a proposal reaffirming adding fluoride to local drinking water won a decisive victory Nov. 8. Voters in all three Boothbay Region Water District towns supported continuing adding fluoride to the drinking water, 1,975 to 1,637. Boothbay Harbor had the vote’s largest margin with 713 supporting and 503 against. The margins in Boothbay and Southport were closer. In Boothbay, “Yes” won 996 to 957. In Southport, “Yes” prevailed 266 to 177. 

For the past two years, the Fluoride Opposition Committee ran an educational campaign informing residents about potential harmful effects of ingesting fluoride. The group told residents fluoride was best used in a topical form. According to a survey the FOC cited, among the ailments believed caused by ingesting fluoride are skeletal fluorosis which results in damaged joints and bones and dental fluorosis which results in faint white lines on the teeth.

FOC requested select boards in Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Southport place a referendum question on the November ballot. Boothbay and Southport selectmen agreed to do so. Once two of three BRWD members agreed, Boothbay Harbor was also required to place it on its ballot. 

Boothbay Harbor resident Anna Christina is a FOC member. Post-election, she wanted to thank communities’ members for taking the time to learn about health impacts of ingested fluoride. “I’m impressed with how many people took time to educate themselves. It was a close vote, and as a local grassroots organization we put our hearts into the community outreach while promoting education and resources available to the community,” she said. 

Despite the loss, Christina reported FOC may make a future attempt to stop fluoridation of the drinking water. “This is not the end, it’s the beginning,” she said. “I truly hope the false information and accusations didn’t have much effect on the vote.” 

A group of current and retired physicians, dentists and municipal leaders formed Concerned Citizens of the Boothbay Peninsula for Fluoridation. One of the founding members, Wendy Wolf of Boothbay Harbor, is a former selectman and a retired physician. Concerned Citizens was motivated to continue fluoridation due to a lack of dental resources in rural communities. “Anything that keeps our teeth healthy is worth retaining,” she wrote in an email. “The Boothbay Region Water District has been fluoridating public drinking water for at least 18 years, many residents felt there was not a compelling reason to stop current practice.”