The surgeon general calls it "public health malpractice" to fluoridate water, citing research that suggests exposure to high levels of fluoride can cause lower IQ in kids. National experts say there is not enough data to determine if the lower level present in most U.

The state’s top health official cited controversial studies that suggest the widely hailed public health practice poses a risk to developing brains.

Ladapo on Friday also appeared in Winter Haven, where city commissioners earlier this month voted 3-2 to remove fluoride from its drinking water by the end of the year. Community water fluoridation has been used for seven decades as a method of preventing tooth decay.