Introduction to the Fluoride Ban
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 Legislation
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. 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.
Nationwide Movement
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.
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 Science Behind Fluoride
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.” 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.
Opposition to Fluoride
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.
Public Health Concerns
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.” An HHS spokesman didn’t respond to a question about how the federal government might address those disparities.
The Future of Fluoride
Speaking publicly about the benefits of the mineral might result in a target on the backs of health departments already strapped for cash, fluoride advocates say. A year ago, “fluoride was fine to bring up” in discussions with public health leaders, said Koci. Now, “I think many people in public health are feeling like they need to just lay low. It’s probably very risky to be taking a position on a topic that is so political and controversial.” Major public health groups, including the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the CDC, support the use of fluoridated water. All cite studies that show it reduces tooth decay by 25%.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the push to ban fluoride from public water systems is gaining momentum across the United States, with Florida poised to become the second state to implement such a ban. Despite the scientific evidence supporting the benefits of fluoride in preventing tooth decay, the movement against it has become a political issue. Dentists and public health experts are concerned about the potential long-term effects of removing fluoride from water supplies, particularly for 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 help prevent tooth decay.
Q: Which states have banned or are considering banning fluoride from public water systems?
A: Utah has already banned fluoride, and Florida is expected to vote on a similar bill. Other states, including Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Nebraska, are also considering similar legislation.
Q: What are the potential health effects of removing fluoride from public water systems?
A: Dentists and public health experts are concerned that removing fluoride from public water systems could lead to an increase in tooth decay, particularly in underserved communities.
Q: What do major public health groups say about the use of fluoridated water?
A: Major public health groups, including the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the CDC, support the use of fluoridated water, citing studies that show it reduces tooth decay by 25%.
