Utah has officially become the first state in the United States to ban the addition of fluoride to its public water systems, the BBC reports. The move comes in the wake of warnings from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, who has voiced concerns about potential health risks linked to the mineral.
Governor Spencer Cox signed the legislation into law this week, with the ban set to take effect on May 7. Lawmakers in other states, including Florida and Ohio, are reportedly considering similar measures.
Fluoride has been added to American drinking water since 1945 as a measure to help prevent tooth decay. However, Utah’s new law—signed on Thursday—prohibits municipalities from introducing fluoride into their water supplies.
While the legislation itself does not cite specific public health concerns, Republican lawmaker Stephanie Gricius, who sponsored the bill, pointed to research suggesting potential cognitive effects of fluoride exposure in children. Gricius has emphasized that her bill aims to give residents the freedom to decide whether or not they want to consume fluoride.
This concern was echoed late last year by Kennedy, who stated in November: “The Trump White House will advise all US water systems to remove fluoride from public water.” He further claimed that fluoride—commonly found in toothpaste and dental treatments—"is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease."
While the legislation itself does not cite specific public health concerns, Republican lawmaker Stephanie Gricius, who sponsored the bill, pointed to research suggesting potential cognitive effects of fluoride exposure in children
Kennedy’s assertions have been strongly disputed by public health professionals, many of whom argue that his statements rely on data from studies conducted in countries with fluoride levels far exceeding those used in the U.S.
The American Dental Association (ADA) condemned Utah’s decision, describing it as a reckless move. “It is disheartening to see that a proven, public health policy, which exists for the greater good of an entire community's oral health, has been dismantled based on distorted pseudoscience,” said ADA president Brett Kessler, a dentist based in Denver.
Fluoride has long been endorsed by major public health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for its role in reducing dental cavities when added in small amounts to water.
In 2015, the U.S. Public Health Service adjusted its fluoride recommendations to a lower level, though the federal government has consistently supported community water fluoridation since the 1960s as a tool for promoting oral health.
Recent court decisions have led to decreased fluoride use in some U.S. water systems, while some experts question whether it's still necessary given the widespread availability of fluoride in toothpaste and other products.
Unlike the U.S., most countries in Western Europe do not fluoridate their water. In England, only about 10% of the population receives fluoridated water, though a new initiative plans to extend it to 1.6 million people in the northeast region.
Currently, about 63% of Americans have access to fluoridated water. Supporters argue the practice remains effective, with studies showing it reduces tooth decay by at least 25% in both children and adults.
“The scientific weight of sound evidence around the benefit of community water fluoridation is clear and compelling,” the ADA stated last October.
Speaking to the BBC, Professor Avijit Banerjee, chair of cariology and operative dentistry at King’s College London, noted: “The potential harmful effects of fluoride cited have not been associated with the very low levels of fluoride used in water fluoridation programmes.”
