Texas’ Sid Miller calls on Gov. Abbott to ban fluoride in public water

The anti-fluoride movement may be trickling into Texas. 

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called on Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas legislature to enact a statewide ban on fluoride and other additives in public water. 

“While we work to expand and improve our aging water infrastructure amid our growing water crisis, we must also address the fact that our water infrastructure should not be used as a delivery system for government-mandated chemicals without the consent of the people,” Miller said in a press release. 

Miller said he supports other statewide efforts to ban fluoride in water. 

Lawmakers in states including Tennessee, North Dakota and New Hampshire have also introduced bills hoping to enact fluoride bans in drinking water.

“While I have always fought to preserve our water supply, we must also protect its purity,” Miller said in the press release. 

Anti-fluoride sentiments have increased over the past decade, particularly with the rise of politicians such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. RFK Jr. has been an ardent critic of fluoride in water, advising local communities against it. His critics have denounced him for spreading conspiracy theories and baseless claims related to vaccines and other public health matters. 

Fluoride first began to be added to public water systems in 1945 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and quickly saw drastic improvements in dental health in the area. Fluoridation can prevent tooth decay and improve oral health outcomes, according to the Centers for Disease and Control. 

Most Texas cities, including Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth, add fluoride to the water supply. Across the state, more than 100 public water systems, serving nearly 10 million people, fluoridate the water. Abilene last year paused fluoridation, citing public health concerns.