Chicago's fluoridation rates among nation's highest
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Nearly 90% of Illinois was served by fluoridated community water systems as of 2022, per the latest CDC estimates.
Why it matters: Fluoridation is once again becoming a political flashpoint, with Utah and Florida recently moving to ban the practice — a step encouraged by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The big picture: Dental experts have long supported community fluoridation, wherein fluoride is added to public water supplies to help prevent tooth decay.
Yes, but: Detractors view it as government overreach on a personal choice.
What they're saying: Fluoride is "an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease," Kennedy claimed last year — an assessment refuted by many experts.
Zoom out: Nearly 63% of the U.S. population was served by fluoridated community water as of 2022, per CDC estimates.