A Public Health Triumph—or a Cautionary Tale? For decades, the story of fluoridation has been told as a triumph of modern science—a simple, inexpensive way to prevent tooth decay. In 1999, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed community water fluoridation among the “Ten Great Public Health Achievements of the 20th Century.” But every triumph […]
News Archive
Welcome to the Fluoride Action Network News Archive. The FAN News Archive serves as an historical repository for fluoride news stories, positive or negative. Since FAN catalogs all news stories on fluoride, our news section remains a reliable database of all published fluoride news.
Our news database is categorized by country, state/province, and industry. This collection of articles is constantly being updated with the most recent global news on fluoride-related issues and events.
This reaction turns Teflon into toothpaste’s key ingredient
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is one of those chemical innovations that has gone from wonder material to societal scourge. Better known by its brand name, Teflon, PTFE is remarkably unreactive and can withstand high temperatures, which makes it excellent for use in nonstick cookware, industrial and medical coatings, and electronic insulation and as seals and gaskets when […]
2 lawmakers consider bill to remove state mandate for fluoride in drinking water
FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Two Kentucky lawmakers are hoping 2026 will be the year that a bill to remove the state mandate for fluoride in Kentucky’s drinking water finally crosses the finish line. Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, has filed legislation similar to House Bill 16 from the 2025 legislative session nine times, he said. The […]
Dental experts share concerns over Santa Fe fluoride ordinance
SANTA FE, N.M. — Santa Fe officials have decided to stop adding fluoride to the city’s water supply due to levels exceeding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended 0.7 parts per million, with current levels ranging between 0.8 and 1.2 parts per million. “We estimate on the order of $400,000 to $600,000 of […]
ADA president details ‘year of constant challenges,’ growth, change
Brett Kessler, D.D.S., spent the early hours of Oct. 24 on a run to the Lincoln Memorial to watch the sun rise over the Washington Monument. He took time to think about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream Speech,” which he gave from the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. “Every visit recharges me […]
Highlighting facts about community water fluoridation
Despite decades of scientific validation and measurable public health success, community water fluoridation continues to face waves of misinformation. During the session The ABCs of Community Water Fluoridation: Science, Specifics, and Stats” at Smilecon 2025, a pair of experts — Liz Lense, D.D.S., senior scientist for population health programs at the ADA, and Scott L. […]
Daily Item: Selinsgrove Considers Removing Fluoride from Water
The Daily Item reports Selinsgrove Borough Council is considering removing fluoride from its water system. The newspaper reports council was told that DEP has tightened its rules regarding the monitoring of water systems that use fluoride. Also the new monitoring equipment and labor would be several thousand dollars according to the borough manager. Earlier this […]
Santa Fe will no longer require fluoride to be added to drinking water
SANTA FE, N.M. — The City of Santa Fe won’t require the addition of fluoride to its drinking water after the mayor signed an ordinance into law ending the practice. Fluoride is a natural compound linked to improved dental health. Jennifer Thompson, the chair of the New Mexico Board of Dental Health, stated the Board […]
Clarksville urged to continue water fluoridation
Local dentist Reggie Young took center stage at the Clarksville Town Council meeting Oct. 21 to ask that Clarksville continue to use fluoride in the town’s water supply. Young, who has practiced dentistry in Clarksville for years, presented evidence highlighting the benefits of water fluoridation for dental health, particularly among children and underserved families. He […]
The New Fault Lines on Fluoride in Four States — and What They Mean for Medicaid
Across the country, there’s a new wave of proposals targeting community water fluoridation (CWF) as many states are tightening Medicaid budgets. That combination is uniquely dangerous for low-income families: End fluoridation -> see cavities rise -> watch public insurance spending swell. Recent modeling published in JAMA Health Forum projects that eliminating fluoridation nationally would increase tooth decay in […]