Florida has become the second state in the country to prohibit the addition of fluoride to public drinking water.
On Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Florida Farm Bill. This includes languages that prohibit the use of additives in public water systems that do not meet the new definition of “water quality additives.”
“Yes, use fluoride on your teeth, that’s fine. But forcing it to water is basically a forced medicine for people,” DeSantis said. “They don’t have any options. You’re taking that from them.”
More than 70% of Floridians using community water systems issued recommended guidance for community water fluorination in November, citing potential health effects, according to Florida surgeon general Dr. Joseph Radapop.
Fluorides are naturally present minerals found in soil, rocks and water to varying degrees. It is also a by-product of fertilizer production. With recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, many cities have added fluoride to their drinking water treated for decades to protect their teeth from cavities.
The CDC repeated its belief in the health benefits of fluoride in 2015, naming water as one of the “10 biggest public health outcomes of the 21st century.” The ADA also emphasizes that “80 years of community water fluorination at optimal levels has proven safe and effective in reducing tooth decay to improve oral health.”
However, studies have shown that exposure to fluorinated water during pregnancy is associated with increased neurobehavioral problems in children, and federal review concluded that higher levels are associated with lower IQ in children.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to roll back the CDC recommendations to add fluoride to municipal drinking water, and a panel of experts will review the guidelines and create new recommendations.
Kennedy cannot formally prevent the community from adding fluoride to drinking water, but some states and cities have followed his lead. In March, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also said this week it has begun a process of removing fluoride tablets and dropping them from the market. They usually drink fluoride-free water, which is prescribed for babies and children at high risk of cavities.