The city will be seeking a formal opinion from the state on its stance before deciding whether to remove fluoride from its drinking water permanently.

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.

It was the latest in a long list of public health recommendations from Ladapo criticized by associations that represent the people providing the care.