EPA Reviewing Fluoride Health Risks in Water \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to direct the CDC to stop recommending water fluoridation nationwide, citing health concerns. The EPA has launched a scientific review of fluoride risks as Utah became the first state to ban it. Critics warn the move could harm low-income communities and children’s dental health.
Quick Looks
- RFK Jr. to direct CDC to halt fluoridation guidance
- EPA reviewing health risks of fluoride exposure
- Utah first state to ban water fluoridation statewide
- CDC’s Division of Oral Health disbanded amid federal cuts
- Kennedy says fluoride is a “dangerous neurotoxin” linked to health risks
- Nearly two-thirds of Americans drink fluoridated water
- Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay, per CDC recommendations since 1950
- EPA’s current max fluoride level: 4 mg per liter
- CDC recommends 0.7 mg per liter in drinking water
- National Toxicology Program linked excess fluoride to lower IQ in kids
- Low-income communities may be most affected by fluoride removal
- Kennedy praised Utah as leading “a healthy America”
Deep Look
RFK Jr. Pushes to End Fluoride Recommendations as EPA Begins Health Review
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Monday that he plans to instruct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending the addition of fluoride to public drinking water—a major shift in U.S. public health policy that has stood for over 70 years.
Speaking after a news conference in Salt Lake City with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Kennedy confirmed to the Associated Press that a task force is being formed to further evaluate fluoride’s health impacts. He also praised Utah lawmakers for passing the nation’s first statewide ban on water fluoridation.
EPA Joins the Debate With Fresh Scientific Review
The Environmental Protection Agency simultaneously announced it is conducting a new review of “recent scientific information” about the health effects of fluoride in drinking water. While the EPA controls the legal limit of fluoride allowed in public water systems—currently set at 4 milligrams per liter—it does not mandate fluoridation.
“When this evaluation is completed, we will have an updated foundational scientific evaluation,” said Zeldin. “Secretary Kennedy’s advocacy was instrumental in launching this review.”
Utah Becomes the First State to Ban Fluoride
In March, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation banning water fluoridation in all public systems, overriding local control. The law requires all water providers to stop fluoridation by May 7. The move has been widely criticized by dentists and public health groups, who say the loss of fluoride will worsen dental health, particularly for low-income residents.
Kennedy, standing alongside state leaders, praised the decision:
“I’m very, very proud of this state for being the first to ban it, and I hope many more will,” he said.
Fluoride: A Public Health Milestone or Risk?
Since 1950, U.S. health authorities have promoted water fluoridation as a tool to reduce tooth decay, with the CDC naming it one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.
Today, fluoride is present in about two-thirds of U.S. drinking water, benefiting an estimated 200 million Americans, according to the CDC. The agency currently recommends 0.7 milligrams per liter, a level considered safe and effective.
But Kennedy, a former environmental attorney, argues fluoride is a “neurotoxin” linked to arthritis, thyroid dysfunction, and bone fractures—claims based on select studies, many of which have been conducted at higher-than-recommended levels.
CDC’s Oral Health Division Eliminated
Adding to the controversy, recent federal staffing cuts eliminated the CDC’s 20-person Division of Oral Health, which had administered grants and promoted fluoride programs nationwide.
Public health advocates say this move, along with Kennedy’s policy stance, signals a dismantling of long-standing oral health infrastructure. Critics also accuse the administration of pushing a politically driven agenda with potentially harmful effects on vulnerable populations.
Scientific Studies Show Mixed Results
Fluoride can come from multiple sources, but drinking water remains the primary exposure route in the U.S. According to the CDC, about 17,000 of 51,000 water systems in the country fluoridate their supply.
Some newer studies have raised concerns. A 2023 National Toxicology Program report linked fluoride levels above 1.5 mg/L to lower IQ in children, drawing on international research from Canada, China, Iran, India, and Mexico. However, health experts caution that these studies are inconclusive and often based on high concentrations not used in the U.S.
“Too much fluoride can cause cosmetic dental issues,” such as fluorosis, said one expert, “but the benefits at recommended levels have been well documented.”
Pushback and Public Concern
Lorna Koci, chair of the Utah Oral Health Coalition, blasted the fluoride ban and Kennedy’s support for it:
“This seems to be less about fluoride and more about power,” she said. “Children in low-income communities will suffer most.”
She also said misinformation played a role in turning public sentiment against fluoride, warning that childhood cavities will increase as a result.
Final Thoughts
With the CDC’s guidance on fluoridation now in question and the EPA re-evaluating scientific data, the future of fluoride in U.S. water supplies is uncertain. Kennedy’s move to reshape federal oral health policy marks one of the most consequential shifts in public health guidance in decades—and it’s already sparking national debate.
What remains to be seen is whether other states will follow Utah’s lead, or whether public health groups and dentists will mount a legal or legislative pushback in defense of fluoridation.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.