Hillsborough commissioners shot down a motion to remove fluoride from the county's drinking water. Why it matters: Conservatives have fashioned fluoride into an issue of medical freedom, leading communities across Florida and the nation to halt the practice of adding the mineral to drinking water.

A decades old debate over fluoride in drinking water has resurfaced in Hillsborough County. Commissioners voted on whether to remove fluoride from the public water supply with supporters calling it a public health necessity and opponents warning of potential risk.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that dissolves in water. But, is any amount in our water actually safe? Hillsborough County is now talking about it.