Fluoride ban ignores science — and kids will pay the price | Opinion

Despite 80 years of evidence that fluoride prevents cavities and protects children’s health, Florida just greenlit a bill banning it from being added to Florida’s public drinking water. Fluoride has long been a cornerstone of public health, dramatically reducing tooth decay across generations. Without it, we risk a new wave of painful toothaches, cavities and costly dental problems, especially for Florida’s children.

Fluoride is more than a cosmetic aid — it’s the bedrock of dental health. Thanks to fluoridated water, childhood and adult cavities have been reduced by about 25%.

Recognized by the CDC as one of the “Ten Great Public Health Achievements of the 20th Century,” fluoridation of public drinking water first took place in 1945. By the 1990s, more than 140 million Americans had access to this simple, effective tool. Community water fluoridation is one of the safest and most affordable ways to prevent tooth decay — in turn staving off pulmonary issues, heart disease and diabetes. It benefits people of all ages and income levels, especially those who may not have ready access to a dentist.

In my practice as a pediatrician, I see firsthand what happens when kids don’t have access to fluoride — and it’s often far worse than just a cavity.

One of my patients is an 8-year-old girl with a brain injury that makes it hard for her to walk, talk or eat. Because of her condition, she can’t produce much saliva, which is the body’s natural defense against tooth decay. Brushing her teeth is a daily challenge, and she needs sedation for even routine dental cleanings, which carries serious risks for her health. For her, fluoride isn’t merely a bonus — it’s essential to preserving her quality of life by protecting her teeth.

Another patient, a teenager who hadn’t seen a dentist in two years, came in for a checkup with four rotting molars and a painful abscess. When I offered to apply fluoride varnish to the remaining healthy teeth, his parents declined, saying they had heard fluoride was “toxic.” That misinformation cost their son four permanent teeth and potentially years of avoidable pain.

When untreated tooth decay turns into an infection, antibiotics are often the only option. But overusing antibiotics for preventable dental problems isn’t just bad policy, it’s potentially dangerous. The more someone relies on antibiotics to treat conditions that could be prevented without them, the more they risk antibiotic resistance. That’s a crisis no parent wants for their children.

Fluoride has become the latest target of a movement that puts conspiracy theories ahead of science. False claims about toxicity and brain damage spread online, in community meetings and even from public officials. But the science is clear: low fluoride levels, like those here in the U.S., do not cause cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, infertility or lower IQ. These myths have been repeatedly debunked by rigorous studies.

This kind of misinformation will harm children across Florida. Parents want to do what’s best for their kids, but when they don’t have access to clear, evidence-based information, it becomes harder to make informed choices.

It’s deeply concerning to see health policy driven by politics instead of science. This fluoride ban didn’t come from doctors, dentists or public health experts. It came from lawmakers and political appointees who chose to ignore decades of research.

The consequences won’t fall on them — they’ll fall on children, especially those whose families can’t afford regular dental care. Without fluoride in drinking water, we’re taking away one of the few protections that reach everyone, no matter their income, ZIP code or insurance status. Children already experience cavities at a rate 40% higher than other age groups, and without fluoride, it will only get worse.

Florida’s children need policies rooted in science, not politics. We’ve known for decades that fluoride prevents tooth decay and unnecessary pain. Taking it away doesn’t make our communities and our residents safer; it makes them more vulnerable.

Samantha Korn is a second-year pediatrics resident. Dr. Isabel Hendrickson is a chief resident of pediatrics. Both are based in St. Petersburg. Dr. Shannon Glenn-Otto contributed to this opinion piece.