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RFK Jr. Wants CDC To Stop Recommending Fluoride in Drinking Water

By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter

Posted on April 2025

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 8, 2025.

TUESDAY, April 8, 2025 -- U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he will tell the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water across the country.

He also announced plans to form a special task force to focus on health risks of fluoride.

Kennedy made the comments Monday during a media event with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin in Salt Lake City.

Last month, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water supplies.

The EPA said it is reviewing new science about the possible dangers of fluoride in water, The Associated Press reported.

Kennedy can’t force communities to stop fluoridating water, but he can influence the CDC’s recommendations and work with the EPA to change the allowed limits.

The CDC currently recommends 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, while the EPA allows up to 4 milligrams.

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

Under its new law all water systems in the state must stop adding fluoride by May 7.

Kennedy called fluoride a “dangerous neurotoxin” that may also be linked to arthritis, thyroid problems and bone fractures, according to The Associated Press.

Some studies have found possible health risks at higher-than-recommended levels of fluoride, but experts say more research is needed.

Fluoride has long been used to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities.

The CDC and other health groups have supported fluoridation since the 1950s, calling it one of the top public health achievements of the last century.

Today, nearly two-thirds of Americans drink fluoridated water, according to the CDC. An estimated 17,000 water systems serving more than 60% of the U.S. population are fluoridated.

But experts have concerns. Last year, the National Toxicology Program reviewed studies from six countries and found that fluoride levels above 1.5 milligrams per liter were linked to lower IQ in kids.

The CDC’s 20-member Division of Oral Health was eliminated in recent federal staffing cuts.

That office helped local agencies improve dental care and, in some cases, encouraged fluoridation, according to The Associated Press.

“When this evaluation is completed, we will have an updated foundational scientific evaluation that will inform the agency’s future steps,” the EPA's Zeldin said. “Secretary Kennedy has long been at the forefront of this issue. His advocacy was instrumental in our decision to review fluoride exposure risks and we are committed to working alongside him, utilizing sound science as we advance our mission of protecting human health and the environment.”

Lorna Koci, chair of the Utah Oral Health Coalition, said she expects more kids will suffer from cavities because of the new law.

“This seems to be less about fluoride and more about power,” Koci concluded, adding that many backers of the fluoride ban in Utah had spread false health claims.

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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