Florida has started removing fluoride from drinking water following guidance from the state’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, at the end of last year.
Why It Matters
Fluoride is commonly added to drinking water to prevent tooth decay, as fluoride can strengthen teeth enamel.
The decision to remove fluoride from public drinking water in Florida reflects a growing skepticism toward government-backed health policies, a trend that has gained traction in recent years.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump‘s nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services, has been a vocal critic of water fluoridation, arguing that it poses health risks despite scientific consensus on its benefits.
What To Know
In November 2024, Ladapo called for a stop to adding fluoride to drinking water in Florida due to risks that his guidance said were associated with fluoride exposure.
While water fluoridation is extremely common, some municipalities across the United States and several European countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway and Sweden, have eliminated water fluoridation, according to a report by the DCU Water Institute in Dublin.
Ladapo’s guidance referred to this and pointed to risks that it argued were associated with excessive fluoride exposure, such as an association between excessive fluoride exposure and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It also argued that research had shown excessive fluoride exposure was linked to sleep cycle disturbance, skeletal fluorosis and potential thyroid gland problems.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agree that water fluoridation is effective and safe.
On Tuesday, the Lee County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to remove fluoride from the county’s water, according to local news station WGCU. The city of Naples and Collier County, Immokalee, Everglades City, and Marco Island have all voted to remove fluoride, per the outlet.
Hillsborough County will vote on the issue on Wednesday afternoon, Fox 13 reported. Several local governments in the Tampa Bay area, such as Winter Haven, Lakeland, Clearwater, Pinellas County and Manatee County, have either begun debating whether to remove fluoride or have already voted to do so.
What People Are Saying
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, in his guidance: “It is clear more research is necessary to address safety and efficacy concerns regarding community water fluoridation.
“The previously considered benefit of community water fluoridation does not outweigh the current known risks, especially for special populations like pregnant women and children.”
The Florida Department of Health told Newsweek: “In Florida, we continue to lead from the front. We continue with data and stats and reason, and we believe that this is the best data before us right now, and we encourage that other municipalities do the same.”
Dr. Jeff Ottley, president of the Florida Dental Association, told the Miami Herald in November 2024: “We’re going to be busier than ever if they take fluoride out of the water.
“We’re going to take probably the greatest single public health achievement in the 20th century—and we’re going to remove that? So that kids who need help are going to have cavities and bigger cavities?”
What Happens Next
More cities and counties in Florida may vote on the issue in the coming months.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Roberto J. Gonzalez praised the guidance from Ladapo in November in a post on X, writing, “You’re absolutely right @FLSurgeonGen. The science has been ignored on this for a long time, we need to act quickly and help save our residents from unnecessary toxins.”
Original article online at: https://www.newsweek.com/florida-removing-fluoride-drinking-water-2026555