DES MOINES, Iowa (WHO) — Five Iowa House Republicans have introduced HF 2395, which would ban adding fluoride to Iowa’s public drinking water if passed.
The decision comes after a push from Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the CDC to stop recommending fluoridation nationwide.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is found in our drinking water and it helps to decrease tooth decay. It is either added or taken out of Iowa’s water to get to the level of 0.7 milligrams per liter, which is the optimal level.
A study released in 2024 found that high levels of fluoride led to decreased IQs in children. However, that study was not taken in the U.S. and was based on fluoride levels of 1.5 milligrams per liter, more than double the levels allowed in Iowa.
“There’s been thousands of other studies over decades of time that have shown positive benefits of fluoride,” said Dr. Kevin Baker, Dentist at Waveland Family Dental. “So, taking one single study that was done somewhere that was not in the US using levels that we don’t recommend is not really a fair way to compare it.”
Iowa House Representative Steven Bradley is a retired dentist and said he supports the use of fluoride.
“I practiced in a couple towns here,” Bradley said. “One town had naturally fluoridated water and one doesn’t have fluoride in the water. Substantially difference in the amount of dental decay in each town. The naturally fluoridated water, hardly any decay in the town. The one without, a huge difference.”
The only two other states that have done something similar are Utah and Florida. The House File has now been sent to the House Health and Human Services Committee and is awaiting review.
Original article online at: https://www.kcau9.com/news/iowa-news/iowa-house-republicans-push-to-ban-fluoride-in-public-drinking-water/