Fluoride ban efforts show RFK Jr.'s reach
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Texas is among a growing number of states where the idea of banning fluoride is gaining traction as part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" movement.
Why it matters: New fluoride limits could upend an 80-year-old standard widely credited with reducing tooth decay by 25% and narrowing disparities for people without regular dental care.
- More than 67% of Texans were served by fluoridated community water systems in 2022, per the latest CDC estimates.
Zoom in: Dallas, Fort Worth and many other North Texas cities add fluoride to their water supply.
Context: U.S. cities have been adding extra fluoride — a naturally occurring mineral — to their drinking water since 1945 to improve dental health and prevent cavities.
- Excessive fluoride can cause cosmetic tooth damage, and some studies link very high exposure to lower IQ scores in children.
The latest: The EPA plans to study the potential toxic effects of fluoride exposure, which could be the basis of changes to drinking water standards.
- The current standard is 4 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water — far above the CDC's recommendation of no more than 0.7 milligrams per liter.
- The federal government can't require communities to add or remove the mineral, but it can set maximum allowable amounts.
What they're saying: Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called on the Legislature to ban fluoride last year.
- Miller tells Axios that Kennedy texted him "Congratulations, brother" last year, after Miller called for Gov. Greg Abbott to prioritize a ban on non-water additives in public water.
- He says that while he isn't "against fluoride," he believes the decision to add it to water should be left to each family.
- "I'm a freedom-loving guy. I don't need the government forcing fluoride into my digestive system. It's just not Texan," he says.
Reality check: The Texas Legislature would need to approve such a ban or Gov. Greg Abbott would have to sign an executive order for it.
Between the lines: "A growing body of evidence indicates that ingesting fluoride can cause neurological harm, and other adverse effects," Kennedy said in a statement.
- But the EPA's review of fluoride "will not prejudge any outcomes," EPA biologist Todd Zurlinden said during a recent webinar.
- American Dental Association president Richard Rosato says the group is "hopeful that the EPA will use peer-reviewed, scientifically tested evidence rather than biased, mischaracterized studies."
What's next: The public can comment on the EPA's proposed study plan through Feb. 27.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to note that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. commented on Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller calling for a Texas fluoride ban.