Kennedy \u2014 who has no training in either medicine or dentistry \u2014 called fluoride \u201can industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss\u201d and other problems on the social media platform X.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think fluoride is on the way out,\u201d Kennedy said Wednesday on MSNBC. \u201cThe faster that it goes out, the better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether to add fluoride to water supplies is decided and funded by local jurisdictions, not the federal government. Still, Kennedy said that if tapped, he would advise communities on fluoridated water.<\/p>\n
Dentists who care for kids\u2019 oral health say the end of fluoridated drinking water would be detrimental.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt won\u2019t happen right away, but as children continue to grow and develop, they will have an increased cavity rate,\u201d said Dr. Meg Lochary, a pediatric dentist in Waxhaw, North Carolina, an area that recently opted out of adding fluoride to water systems. \u201cWe will eventually see an increase in tooth decay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mouths teem with bacteria, which produce acid in saliva. Those acids weaken teeth and lead to decay. Fluoride counters that process with a one-two punch, by reducing acid and strengthening enamel, the tooth\u2019s protective outer layer.<\/p>\n
The phenomenon was discovered in the early 1900s among residents of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Tooth decay was nearly nonexistent in the population. The only thing to explain it was their drinking water, which was naturally high in fluoride that leached from local rocks and soil.<\/p>\n
Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first community in the world to add fluoride to its water supply in 1945. Within a decade, cavities among young children in the town plummeted by 60%. Other public water systems followed.<\/p>\n
Major public health groups, including the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC, soon supported the use of fluoridated water. All cite studies that show it reduces tooth decay by 25%. Cavity prevention, experts say, is a major public health coup. Uncontrolled tooth decay can lead to infections, loss of teeth and painful abscesses.<\/p>\n
Despite decades of study and real-world evidence of its benefits, fluoride continues to be scrutinized.<\/p>\n
To date, there’s no damning evidence proving that fluoridated water leads to any of the outcomes Kennedy mentioned, including loss of intellect.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s not any evidence that fluoride has lowered the IQ of kids,\u201d said Dr. David Margolius, Cleveland\u2019s director of public health.<\/p>\n
There are some small studies, however, worth mentioning.<\/p>\n
Research published in May suggested that fluoride exposure during pregnancy could be linked to neurobehavioral issues in kids. The study\u2019s authors, however, said that based on the findings, it’s premature to stop adding the cavity-fighting mineral to drinking water.<\/p>\n
A 2019 study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, found that IQ levels were slightly lower in 3- and 4-year-old children whose mothers had higher measures of fluoride in their urine when they were pregnant.<\/p>\n
While the researchers said it may be time to \u201chit pause\u201d on water fluoridation, they stopped short of saying the mineral should be pulled from water supplies.<\/p>\n
Experts maintain that there\u2019s no credible evidence proving fluoride has lowered kids\u2019 IQ levels.<\/p>\n
With science in mind, parents should be able to ask questions about what their kids are consuming, said Dr. Richard Besser, former acting CDC director and current president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny parent should feel very comfortable asking their child\u2019s doctor, \u2018What should be my approach to fluoride to protect my child\u2019s teeth?\u2019\u201d Besser said. \u201cThose are appropriate questions, but saying that fluoride doesn\u2019t have value flies in the face of the science and evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the debate over fluoride continues, parents should be aware of the science and make informed decisions about their children\u2019s oral health. While some argue that fluoride has risks, the overwhelming evidence suggests that it is a safe and effective way to prevent tooth decay and promote good oral health.<\/p>\n
Q: Is fluoride safe for my child?<\/p>\n
A: Yes, fluoride is safe for children when used in moderation and as directed by a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n
Q: What are the benefits of fluoride?<\/p>\n
A: Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay and promotes good oral health by reducing acid and strengthening enamel.<\/p>\n
Q: Are there risks associated with fluoride?<\/p>\n
A: While there are some small studies that suggest potential risks, there is no credible evidence proving that fluoride has lowered kids\u2019 IQ levels or poses significant health risks.<\/p>\n
Q: What should I do if I have concerns about fluoride?<\/p>\n
A: Consult with your child\u2019s doctor or dentist to discuss your concerns and determine the best approach for your child\u2019s oral health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Will Fluoride Go Away When Trump Takes Office? Fluoride \u2014 long heralded as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century \u2014 could be removed from public water systems under the influence of one of President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s advisers, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy \u2014 who has no training in either medicine […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5124","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/media.nbcchicago.com\/2024\/11\/FLUORIDE-DENTIST.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=1200%2C675&w=1200&resize=1200,675&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5124"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5124"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5126,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5124\/revisions\/5126"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}