NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Tennessee GOP is pushing for a ban on fluoride in drinking water.
The bill, SB 0162/HB 2396, was introduced by Rep. Michele Reneau (R-District 27) and Sen. Joey Hensley (R-District 28).
The bill would prohibit public water system operators from adding fluoride to their water systems.
The bill was first introduced in the senate last year on Jan. 15 and was recently deferred in the Senate Energy Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee while the companion bill was placed on the House Calendar for March 10.
Additionally, another bill, SB 2304/HB 2471, is moving through legislature that would enact the Tennessee Fluoride-Free Water Act to prohibit public water systems from adding fluoride to drinking water, prohibit the sale of bottled water containing fluoride.
Officials with the Tennessee General Assembly said dental experts say this move would be a step backwards for public health.
Recently the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it would remove fluoride supplements from the market effective October 2025.
According to the president of the American Dental Association, Brett Kessler, D.D.S., “proposals like this stand to hurt rural America, not make them healthier.”
“More than ever, at this critical time in American health care policy, it is vital that we slow down to properly study the full implications of actions like this on the health of the nation,” Kessler said.
The American Dental Association said fluoridation is one of the most effective and widely endorsed public health measures to prevent tooth decay, especially in children.
Original article online at: https://www.wsmv.com/2026/03/05/tennessee-republicans-push-ban-fluoride-drinking-water/