RFK Jr. plans to tell CDC to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water despite pushback from health experts. Why is it so controversial?

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Monday that he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending communities put fluoride in drinking water, despite widespread opposition from dentists and health organizations.

Kennedy told the Associated Press that he is assembling a task force of health experts to study the issue.

Also on Monday, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency is reviewing “new scientific information on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water.”

Utah becomes 1st state to ban fluoride

The announcements by Kennedy and Zeldin came at an event in Utah, which recently became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water. Under the new law, which was signed by Republican Gov. Spencer Cox in March, water systems across the state must stop fluoridation by May 7.

“I’m very, very proud of this state for being the first state to ban it, and I hope many more will,” Kennedy said.

Lawmakers in other states, including Ohio, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, North Dakota and Montana, have also proposed restrictions on fluoridated water.

What does fluoride do? And how much is in our drinking water?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals due to acid breakdown, preventing damage caused by bacteria in the mouth, according to the CDC.

Since 1962, U.S. public health agencies have recommended that low levels of fluoride be added to drinking water to reduce the risk of chronic dental problems in children. Fluoridation is widely considered one of the most successful public health advances of the 20th century thanks to its ability to prevent tooth decay.

More than two-thirds of the U.S. population (72.3%) have access to fluoridated drinking water, according to CDC data.

Kennedy, who oversees the CDC, cannot unilaterally ban fluoridation, but he can direct the CDC to stop recommending it and work with the EPA, which sets the standards for fluoride under the Safe Drinking Water Act, to change them.

Currently, the maximum amount of fluoride in drinking water allowed by the EPA is 4 milligrams per liter of water. And the CDC currently recommends 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter.

Why do people like Kennedy want it banned?

Fluoride in drinking water has long been the subject of unfounded conspiracy theories. And Kennedy has become one of the most visible advocates against it, calling fluoride a “dangerous neurotoxin” while suggesting it is linked to a variety of health problems, including cancer.

But the American Cancer Society has said there is “no strong evidence of a link between water fluoridation and cancer.”

In its announcement on Monday, the EPA cited a 2024 report by the National Toxicology Program summarizing studies in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Mexico, which concluded that fluoride exposure above 1.5 milligrams per liter — more than twice the amount recommended by the CDC — is associated with lower IQ in children. Health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, have expressed concerns about the report’s validity, noting that it relied on research from outside the U.S. and did not find evidence of a link between low levels of flouride and IQ.

Lawmakers in Utah also said that by eliminating fluoride, residents across the state would save money on their water bills. But most officials surveyed by ABC’s Salt Lake City affiliate said any savings would be minimal.

What do dentists think?

In a statement on Monday, Dr. Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association, said removing fluoride from drinking water would hurt children and adults in vulnerable communities and lead to increased dental costs.

“We see on a daily basis the benefits of fluoride, from both drinking fluoridated water and topically in products like fluoride toothpaste and other dental products, so we know the need for both exists,” Kessler said. “Blindly calling for a ban on fluoridated water hurts people, costs money, and will ultimately harm our economy.”

“When government officials like Secretary Kennedy stand behind the commentary of misinformation and distrust peer-reviewed research, it is injurious to public health,” he added.