By Robert Gherke | The Salt Lake Tribune | Photo by Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune

Fluoride will be banned from Utah water systems by May 7, if Gov. Spencer Cox signs a bill now headed to his desk.

Friday evening, the Utah Senate approved HB81, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, prohibiting fluoride from being added to water systems, the latest battle in a war that has been waged in Utah for five decades.

Fluoride is scientifically proven to strengthen the enamel on teeth and prevent cavities. The Utah Dental Association was among the groups that spoke out against the bill.

But Gricius argued that a court in California had also found that it could potentially cause cognitive issues and said the Environmental Protection Agency should reassess its fluoride standards.

Additionally, she said, a majority of residents should not be allowed to decide whether chemicals should be added to everyone’s drinking water. By eliminating fluoride and making it easier for those who want it to get it from a pharmacy, people can decide for themselves whether they want fluoride or not.

Read the full story on sltrib.com.