The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is continuing to collect data on the effect fluoride has on Windsorites' oral health.
The Health Unit is now conducting a 'calibration study' with school dental hygienists.
The study is designed to have the hygienists evaluate the oral health of several members of the community and to compare their results with dentists.
The calibrations will be a factor in analyzing data from Windsor's population on the effects fluoride has on oral health.
In 2013, the City of Windsor administered a moratorium of four years on fluoride in the city's water supply lasting from 2014 to 2018.
Health Unit CEO Gary Kirk says once complete, the report will help educate council on the effect fluoride had on the region.
"There are no assumptions that would be made," says Kirk. "What we will do is analyze the data scientifically. We have epidemiologic support and so what we would do is look at the before and after picture and come to the best conclusion possible on the basis of science."
He says he does not know what they study results will show.
"I do not want to pre suppose what the data is going to show us," says Kirk. "They may not show any change, they may show change in a way that we are not expecting. It may show a lot of change in the opposite direction of the way we might expect it from the lack of fluoride."
He says he hopes the report will help council make a educated decision about whether or not to permanently ban fluoride from the city's water.
"Our hope is — and again, it requires the gathering of data and information; analyzing — making sure we feel confident the results are reasonable," says Kirk. "Our hope is to have that to council at least a couple months prior to their decision so they have something to deliberate on."
Health Unit CEO Gary Kirk says they hope to have a report finished for council before the moratorium is finished.