Fluoride Controversy: Public Furor Stirs Over Fluoride's Safety and Effectiveness in Water Supplies
Salty newsflash! Florida is inching ever closer to making history as the second state to scrap the good ol' practice of adding fluoride to public water systems. A bill to outlaw the cavity-fighting chemicals has been backed by state lawmakers and is waiting for Governor Ron DeSantis' signature.
The word "fluoride" couldn't be found in Florida's Farm Bill SB700, but it's still on the chopping block, since the legislation seeks to ban "certain additives" across the state's water systems.
If DeSantis gives it the thumbs-up, Florida will join Utah as the second state to ditch fluoride from its water supplies. Utah's Governor Spencer Cox, also a Republican, signed a bill in late March that prevents anyone from adding the mineral to the state's water systems. The new rule is expected to take effect on May 7.
Similar bills are surging through the political landscape in Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Nebraska. Wisconsin, on the other hand, has already seen nearly 80 communities vote to cease using fluoride, while Union County in North Carolina kickstarted the trend by removing it from its drinking water last year.
The anti-fluoride movement has been gaining steam for several decades, possibly thanks to the support of none other than Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He's the big cheese at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has hinted at urging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to cease advocating for fluoride in water supplies.
The CDC doesn't actually make recommendations about fluoride, but they come from the U.S. Public Health Service – a group of experts from various federal health agencies.
RFK Jr. has cited a lack of systemic benefits from preventing tooth decay through fluoridated water. He argues that individuals can obtain the same advantages by simply brushing their teeth. Water fluoridation, widely hailed as one of the top public health accomplishments of the 20th century for its decay-fighting prowess, is no longer considered a go-to by some experts.
Now, dental and oral health professionals feel like they're on the losing side of a hotly contested battle against the anti-fluoride movement. They're worried about airing their pro-fluoride sentiments in public, for fear of being targeted.
"It's like a four-letter word," a public health dentist from the Southeast confided. Even discussing the topic of public education is forbidden by their superiors.
The Trump administration slashed more than $11 billion earmarked for state public health departments last month. As part of a wave of federal budget cuts, the CDC's oral health division – which provides funding for promoting good dental health practices, including the use of fluoride – has taken a severe hit.
Some experts worry that the removal of fluoride from public water systems will result in an increase in dental decay, particularly amongst children. The town of Calgary, Canada, serves as a cautionary tale after its leaders voted to remove fluoride from public water in 2011. A decade later, they decided to bring it back amid a jump in cavities among children.
Sources:
- Jackson, M. (2025, April 29). As Florida nears fluoride ban, experts weigh in on potential health risks. CNN.
- Taylor, K. (2025, April 29). Florida moves closer to becoming second state to ban water fluoridation. NPR.
- Pollack, A. (2025, April 29). Florida Poised to Ban Fluoride Addition to Drinking Water. The New York Times.
- Morr, A. (2025). Fluoride in Drinking Water: Controversies, Debates, and New Data. In Hawes, S. L. (Ed.), Fluoride and Fluoride Research: Critical Reviews, Controversies, and Future Directions. Academic Press.
- U.S. Public Health Service. (2006). Recommendations for Using Fluoride to Prevent and Control Dental Caries in the United States. MMWR Recommendations and Reports, 55(RR-9), 1.
- The anti-fluoride movement, spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is pushing for the discontinuation of fluoride in water supplies, citing a lack of systemic benefits for preventing tooth decay.
- If Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs a bill to ban fluoride, the state will join Utah in removing fluoride from its water supplies, as both states have voiced concerns over the cavity-fighting chemical.
- Some experts fear that the removal of fluoride from public water systems could lead to an increase in dental decay, particularly among children, as seen in Calgary, Canada, where fluoride was removed from public water in 2011 and later reintroduced due to a rise in cavities among children.
- The U.S. Public Health Service, a group of experts from various federal health agencies, provides funding for promoting good dental health practices, including the use of fluoride, but their division has taken a blow due to federal budget cuts under the Trump administration.
- As pressures mount on dental and oral health professionals to avoid discussing the topic of public education about fluoride, some feel like they are on the losing side of a heated debate, fearing backlash and potential targeting.
- Politics seems to have played a role in the fluoride controversy, as similar bills seeking to ban fluoride are making their way through state legislatures, paralleling continued debates in the broader general-news and health-and-wellness arenas surrounding the use and effectiveness of fluoride in water supplies.
