It started with a simple letter in the mail — the kind most people might toss aside without a second glance. But for residents of Oak Grove, Mississippi, it sparked a question that reached far beyond the tap: Should the North Lamar Water Association stop adding fluoride to its drinking water?

What began as a maintenance issue quickly turned into a community-wide debate about safety, cost and trust. Some residents argued that keeping fluoride in the water protects public health and helps prevent tooth decay. Others questioned the expense, the equipment needed to keep levels consistent and whether people should have a choice in what’s added to their water.

In this episode of Matter of Fact, we go behind the reporting of the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center’s story “North Lamar weighs ending water fluoridation.” Reporter Kristen Kaylor joins host Hilawe Tibebe to share how her team first learned about the issue, what it was like to verify scientific claims and how the story unfolded as they spoke with residents, health experts and state officials.

You’ll hear how something as small as a broken fluoride machine revealed a bigger story about how small-town decisions get made — and how journalists work to build trust while covering them. Through the voices of residents, reporters and experts, we explore what this local debate says about communication, transparency and the shared responsibility of keeping communities informed.

Plus, in our What Is True? segment, media literacy coordinator Walker Scott breaks down the facts about fluoride — what’s naturally in the water, what’s added and how to find reliable information about your own water system.

At its heart, this episode isn’t just about fluoride — it’s about connection, curiosity and the process of telling stories that matter.

What to see what's in your water? Click here for the CDC's My Water Fluoride database.