Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending fluoride in U.S. drinking water.
Anumita Kaur reports for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, RFK Jr., is calling on the CDC to end its long-standing guidance in favor of fluoridated water, claiming potential harm to brain development and bones.
- The CDC has named fluoridation one of the top public health achievements of the 20th century, reducing cavities by 25% and benefiting communities with limited dental care access.
- Kennedy’s move follows Utah’s new law banning fluoride in drinking water and a broader shake-up of federal health agencies ahead of the election, with Trump signaling support for similar anti-fluoride stances.
Key quote:
“The growing distrust of credible, time-tested, evidence-based science is disheartening.”
— Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association
Why this matters:
Critics are concerned that changing federal recommendations could encourage states to abandon longstanding fluoridation policies, which could have implications for dental health. On the other hand, some public health experts have been calling for more research into potential detrimental effects of fluoride, particularly for children and pregnant people.
Read more: It is time to protect kids’ developing brains from fluoride
Watch: Fluoride, neurodevelopment & cognition: a National Toxicology Program monograph (webinar recording)
