ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation in communities nationwide.
Kennedy said he’s assembling a task force of health experts to study the issue and make new recommendations.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it is reviewing “new scientific information” on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water. The EPA sets the maximum level allowed in public water systems.
By current Georgia law, all water systems in the state are required to include fluoride in public drinking water.
Local governments can hold a referendum to allow for people to vote to decide on the practice.
The CDC, which is headquartered in Atlanta, reports that Georgia has one of the highest fluoridation rates in the country —approximately 95% of residents receive fluoridated water.
A study from the National Toxicology Program (NTP) has drawn significant attention.
According to the report, higher levels of fluoride exposure, 1.5 milligrams per liter, are associated with a decline in IQ.
The study also reports that “more research is needed to better understand if there are health risks associated with low fluoride exposures.”
Stuart Cooper of the Fluoride Action Network is among the leaders of the movement to eliminate fluoride from public drinking water across the U.S., including Georgia.
“Look on the back of your toothpaste,” Cooper said. “It says if you swallow more than a pea-sized amount, call poison control. That’s a quarter milligram of fluoride — the same as in a 10-ounce glass of fluoridated drinking water.”
Despite growing concern, the CDC maintains that community water fluoridation remains one of the top ten public health achievements of the 20th century.
Medical professionals, like family medicine physician Dr. Cecil Bennett, called the recent NTP study a “one-off” and noted that the fluoride levels referenced in the research are significantly higher than what is found in public water systems.
“These latest studies, when we’re looking at increased fluoride levels affecting brain function, are looking at levels twice what we have in drinking water,” Bennett said. “So really, it’s not comparing apples to apples.”
Bennett also emphasized the public health benefits of fluoride, stating that it can reduce tooth decay by up to 25%, particularly benefiting rural and lower-income populations who may not have easy access to dental care or fluoride-rich foods like fresh produce and seafood.
Kennedy told The Associated Press of his plans after a news conference with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in Salt Lake City.
Kennedy cannot order communities to stop fluoridation, but he can direct the CDC to stop recommending it and work with the EPA to change the allowed amount.
The American Dental Association also stands by the practice of fluoride in drinking water. They released a statement in August showing their support.
Original article online at: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/04/21/critics-call-fluoride-removal-drinking-water-georgia-doctors-defend-decades-old-practice/