Introduction to the Debate on Fluoride
Florida is poised to become the second state to ban the long-standing practice of adding fluoride to public water systems. State senators have already cleared a bill that would prohibit community water fluoridation, and Florida’s House is expected to vote on a similar bill in the coming week.
The word “fluoride” isn’t found anywhere in the Florida Farm Bill, but it would be included because the legislation aims to ban “the use of certain additives in a water system” throughout the state.
Background on Fluoride Ban
If Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signs the bill, Florida will become the second to ban fluoride from water supplies. Utah’s Gov. Spencer Cox, also a Republican, signed a bill in late March that prohibits any person or government entity from adding the cavity-fighting mineral from the state’s water systems. The Utah rule will go into effect on May 7.
Similar legislation is making its way through other states, including Kentucky, Massachusetts and Nebraska.
In Wisconsin, nearly 80 communities have already voted to stop adding fluoride, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources, and others in the state are considering a ban. And Union County in North Carolina voted last year to remove fluoride from drinking water.
The Movement Against Fluoride
Like the anti-vaccine movement, the push to pull fluoride from water has been gaining momentum for several decades. It’s grown more powerful with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of the Department of Health and Human Services. Earlier this month, Kennedy said he was planning to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoride be added to water supplies.
The agency doesn’t make official recommendations on fluoride, however. Those come from the U.S. Public Health Service, composed of members from various federal health public health agencies.
He also said at the event, without providing evidence, that “we know that there is no systemic advantage” to preventing tooth decay by drinking fluoridated water. “You can achieve that benefit from brushing teeth.”
Health Benefits of Fluoride
Water fluoridation has long been heralded as one of the top public health initiatives of the last century for its ability to drive down tooth decay.
While defending fluoride in a Florida Senate debate on April 16, Sen. Tina Scott Polsky, a Democrat, said, “Find me a dentist who thinks we should get rid of fluoride.” The bill passed the Senate on April 16. The Florida House is controlled by Republicans and is expected to vote against fluoridation.
Lorna Koci, head of the Utah Oral Health Coalition, an advocacy group that promotes oral health initiatives among Medicaid beneficiaries, said the movement against fluoride has nothing to do with health and science. “It really is a political issue,” she said.
A ‘Four-Letter Word’
Historically, dentists and other oral health experts would have been vocal defenders of fluoride. Now, many feel that they’re in a losing battle against the anti-fluoride movement and worry about speaking publicly in favor of the mineral.
“It’s like a four-letter word,” a public health dentist in the Southeast said. The mere mention of fluoride, even in the context of public education, is forbidden by superiors, the staffer said.
“We can’t defend the science we believe in,” said another public health dentist in the Upper Midwest. Opposition to both fluoride and vaccines has become more vocal locally because of what’s happening on the national level, he said. “It’s basically giving them a boost.” Public health dentists work with a state or county to increase dental care access in underserved communities and promote oral health overall.
Impact of Fluoride Ban
Last month, the Trump administration pulled more than $11 billion earmarked for state public health departments. As part of the mass layoffs at health agencies ordered by Kennedy, HHS gutted the CDC’s oral health division, which provides funds to states and local jurisdictions to promote good dental health practices, including the use of fluoride.
Dentists argue that while fluoridated toothpaste is critical in preventing cavities, underserved communities may not be able to afford it. Many, they say, are unable to go to a dentist for fluoride treatments.
Dr. Johnny Johnson, a pediatric dentist and president of the American Fluoridation Society, a fluoride advocacy group, said legislators opposed to water fluoridation “need to be skewered over total disregard for our residents’ health.”
Conclusion
The debate on fluoride has been ongoing, with some states banning its use in public water systems. While some argue that fluoride is not necessary, others claim that it has numerous health benefits. The decision to ban fluoride will likely have significant implications for public health, particularly in underserved communities.
FAQs
Q: What is fluoride and why is it added to public water systems?
A: Fluoride is a mineral that is added to public water systems to prevent tooth decay and promote oral health.
Q: What are the health benefits of fluoride?
A: Fluoride has been shown to reduce tooth decay by 25% and is considered one of the top public health initiatives of the last century.
Q: Why are some states banning the use of fluoride in public water systems?
A: Some states are banning the use of fluoride due to concerns about its safety and effectiveness, despite evidence that it is safe and beneficial for oral health.
Q: What will be the impact of banning fluoride on public health?
A: The impact of banning fluoride will likely be significant, particularly in underserved communities that may not have access to fluoridated toothpaste or regular dental care. Dentists predict that there will be a jump in dental decay, especially among kids, in the coming years.
