Utah becomes first state to ban adding fluoride to public water systems
Utah has become the first state to ban fluoride from being added to public water systems.
Gov. Spencer J. Cox signed a bill on Thursday banning the mineral's addition to the public water supply, which is commonly done to reduce tooth decay. The ban will take effect on May 7, 2025.
The bill prohibits communities from adding fluoride to public water supplies, and bans the enactment and enforcement or ordinances that require fluoride be added to water systems. The bill does allow pharmacists to prescribe fluoride supplements to individuals, and instructs the state's Division of Professional Licensing to establish guidelines for such prescriptions.
The ban comes after federal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed skepticism about water fluoridation, even though the process is considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that helps strengthen tooth enamel and reduce cavities, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Poor oral health has been linked to complications including cardiovascular disease, and experts have told CBS News that preventative care is the best way to keep dental health in check.
Putting fluoride in public water supplies has been common in the United States since the 1950s, and researchers say drinking water is the main source of fluoride for Americans.
At high levels, fluoride has been linked to health concerns including possibly lower IQs, but the levels maintained in drinking water systems are much lower. There are recommended levels of fluoride in water, and researchers say that at those levels, people are not likely to experience any adverse effects.
"Seventy years of research, thousands of studies and the experience of more than 210 million Americans tell us that water fluoridation is effective in preventing cavities and is safe for children and adults," the American Dental Association says online.
Studies have "consistently shown that communities with fluoridated water have lower rates of cavities," Dr. Kevin Sands, a board-certified cosmetic dentist in Beverly Hills, California, previously told CBS News. "Moreover, water fluoridation is a cost-effective public health measure that reduces the need for more extensive dental treatments, ultimately improving overall dental health for the population."
Nearly two-thirds of the nation drinks fluoridated water, but only about two in five Utah residents are served by community water systems receive it. The state ranks 44th in the nation for the percentage of residents that receive fluoridited water.
State Rep. Stephanie Gricius, a Republican who sponsored the bill alongside state Sen. Kirk Cullimore, told The Associated Press that the bill "isn't anti-fluoride legislation."
"I don't dispute that there can be positive benefits from fluoride, which is why the bill also includes a deregulation of the prescription," Gricius said. She called the bill "pro-informed consent and individual choice."
