“It’s a balance. You’ll probably see a little more cavity,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary at Health and Human Service, said in Fox News.
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Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Thursday that removing fluoride from public drinking water could result in more cavities.
“It’s balance,” Kennedy said in an interview with Fox News “Falkner Focus” on Thursday, June 26th, “You’ll probably see a little more cavity.
According to the 2018 fact sheet from the American Dental Association (ADA), fluorination is not banned in Europe. However, the BBC reports that adding fluoride to drinking water to drinking water is not widespread in European countries, but some European countries provide fluorescence of water. USA Today has contacted the ADA for more details.
Kennedy’s response came after anchoring Harris Faulkner and asking how removing fluoride from public drinking water would affect dentists and children who have no access to proper oral care.
Kennedy has pushed for banning fluoride in public drinking water. In a meeting with President Donald Trump in April, he said the more children accept fluoride, the more they get “silly.” Kennedy’s comments met with backlash.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to additional comments when contacted by USA Today on Friday, June 27th.
What is fluoride?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in many foods and water, and has long been thought to help prevent tooth decay, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Throughout the day, the protective outer layer of teeth, known as enamel, breaks. Natural minerals within the enamel are broken down by bacteria, plaque and sugar. This is called decalcification. To regain these minerals, people must consume food and water containing chemicals such as fluoride, calcium and phosphates, says a Cleveland clinic. This is known as a re-wrapped item.
The Cleveland clinic says too much demineralisation and the re-5 is not sufficient, which can lead to tooth decay.
When did fluoride introduce water in the US?
(In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first city to freeze the water in its community, adjusting the existing levels of its supply of 1 million copies (ppm) of treatment.
Since then, levels have been adjusted to 0.7 milligrams per liter of water up to 0.7 ppm or 0.7 milligrams of water, which is considered to be the best way to prevent tooth decay.
The health risks of fluoride exposure require much higher concentrations, according to the American Dental Association. According to the Cleveland Clinic, to achieve fluoride toxicity by drinking treated water, you need to consume 5 liters of water per kilogram of body weight.
Where are fluorides prohibited in the US?
Utah and Florida ban fluoride from public drinking water in Utah in March and in May. Kennedy defends these states and is attempting to pass bans in Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, South Carolina, North Dakota, Arkansas, Tennessee, Montana and New Hampshire.
The American Dental Association responds to the ban on fluoride
After Utah passed the fluoride ban in March, the ADA issued a statement that dentists “see the direct consequences of fluoride removal on patients.”
“When policymakers’ decisions hurt vulnerable children and adults in the long run, it’s a real tragedy. Those who blindly seek to ban fluorinated water will hurt people, spend money, and ultimately harm our economy.”
The ADA also points to research such as the 2024 study conducted by the University of Queensland.
This story has been updated to add information.
Contributions: Natalie Neisa Aland, Swapna Benugopal Ramaswamy, Mary Walras Holdridge, USA TODAY
Gretacross is a national trend reporter for USA Today. Story ideas? Please email her gcross@usatoday.com.
