Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday that nixing fluoride from public drinking water may result in more cavities.
“It’s a balance,” Kennedy said during interview on Fox News’ “The Faulkner Focus” on Thursday, June 26. “You’re going to see probably slightly more cavities. Although in Europe, where they ban fluoride, they did not see an uptick in cavities. The issue is parents need to decide because the science is very clear on fluoride.”
Fluoridation is not banned in Europe, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). However, adding fluoride to drinking water is not as widespread in European countries as in the U.S. Some European countries fluoridate their water, while others do not and the reasoning and result of those actions varies, according to BBC reporting. USA TODAY has reached out to ADA for more information.
Kennedy’s response came after anchor Harris Faulkner asked him how removing fluoride from public drinking water would affect children who don’t have access to dentists or proper oral healthcare.
Kennedy has been pushing to ban fluoride in public drinking water. In April, during a meeting with President Donald Trump, he said that kids get “stupider” the more fluoride they take in. Kennedy’s remarks were met with backlash, as the study he pulled from was criticized for inadequate statistical rigor and other methodological flaws.
A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson told USA TODAY on June 27 that Kennedy’s comments reflect an effort to balance reducing exposure to unnecessary chemicals while maintaining protections, like preventing cavities in children.
The Department of Health and Human Services has advised the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to meet with the Community Preventative Services Task Force to study and make a new recommendation on fluoride, the spokesperson added.
Fluoride bans: Two states have now passed fluoride bans. These other ones introduced bills.
What is fluoride?
Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral found in many foods and water and has been long thought to help prevent tooth decay, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Throughout the day, the protective outer layer of our teeth, called enamel, breaks down. Natural minerals within the enamel are broken down by bacteria, plaque and sugar. This is called demineralization. To gain these minerals back, people must consume food and water that contains chemicals like fluoride, calcium and phosphate, the Cleveland Clinic states. This is known as remineralization.
The Cleveland Clinic says with too much demineralization and not enough remineralization, tooth decay may begin.
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Tap water is seen in this photo illustration taken in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 19, 2019.
When was fluoride introduced to water in the U.S.?
In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first city to fluoridate its community water, adjusting existing levels in the supply to the therapeutic 1.0 parts-per-million (ppm).
Since then, the levels have been adjusted to a maximum of 0.7 ppm or 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, which is considered optimal for preventing tooth decay.
Health risks from exposure to fluoride require a much higher concentration, according to the American Dental Association. To get fluoride toxicity from drinking treated water, a person would have to consume 5 liters of water per kilogram of body weight, meaning the average person would die from drinking too much water before fluoridation of that water could hurt them, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Where is fluoride banned in the U.S.?
Utah and Florida have banned fluoride from public drinking water – Utah in March and Florida in May. Kennedy has championed these states, and others looking to pass bans, including Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, South Carolina, North Dakota, Arkansas, Tennessee, Montana and New Hampshire.
American Dental Association responds to fluoride bans
After Utah passed its fluoride ban in March, the ADA released a statement saying dentists “see the direct consequences fluoride removal has on our patients.”
“It’s a real tragedy when policymakers’ decisions hurt vulnerable kids and adults in the long term. Blindly calling for a ban on fluoridated water hurts people, costs money and will ultimately harm our economy,” ADA President Dr. Brett Kessler said in a news release.
The ADA has also pointed to studies, like one 2024 study conducted by the University of Queensland, which found that children exposed and not exposed to fluoride showed no difference in IQ testing.
This story was updated to add more information.
Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy and Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. on fluoride bans: Probably ‘more cavities’
