Kennedy’s comments came after he joined Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin for an event in Utah, which became the first state to ban fluoride in public water systems in March.
“It makes no sense to have it in our water supply. And I’m very, very proud of this state for being the first state to ban it. And I hope many more will come,” Kennedy told reporters, with his comments coming as other states, such as Florida, scrutinize fluoridation.
As part of his effort to update the CDC’s guidance on water fluoridization, which was reported by the Associated Press, Kennedy will also be reconvening his department’s Community Preventive Services Task Force to make a new recommendation on the issue, per CBS.
Meanwhile, Zeldin announced that in conjunction with Kennedy, his agency would review “new scientific information” on possible health risks of fluoride in drinking water ahead of possible new national standards. The EPA has primary authority to set the maximum level of fluoridation allowed in public water systems.
“When this evaluation is completed, we will have an updated foundational scientific evaluation that will inform the agency’s future steps,” Zeldin said Monday. “Secretary Kennedy has long been at the forefront of this issue. His advocacy was instrumental in our decision to review fluoride exposure risks, and we are committed to working alongside him, utilizing sound science as we advance our mission of protecting human health and the environment.”
Fluoride in drinking water is “a cornerstone strategy for prevention of cavities,” and it is one of the 10 great public health inventions of the last century, according to the CDC’s current guidance. The agency has long touted the “benefits of community water fluoridation as an effective, cost-efficient method for preventing tooth decay and improving overall oral health.”
The practice of community water fluoridation launched in Michigan in 1945, a move that was followed by “dramatic declines in dental caries” in the affected area, per the CDC. The U.S. Surgeon General subsequently endorsed the practice in 1950, saying it should be “strongly encouraged.
With the rise of fluoride in various items, including bottled beverages, processed foods, mouthwash, and toothpaste, critics have raised concerns about possible overexposure to the chemical that could lead to harmful health outcomes.
RFK JR.’S CONCERNS ABOUT FLUORIDE FORCE POLICY CHANGE IN FLORIDA TOWN
Kennedy believes the public’s intake of fluoride is too high, pointing to various federal studies to warn that increased exposure to the chemical is associated with lowered testosterone levels in men, “arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease.”
He has also pointed to a 2024 California court decision that ordered the EPA to address possible health risks with fluoride. That court decision cited a review by the federal government’s National Toxicology Program, which concluded that “higher levels” of fluoride were linked to lower IQ in children.
