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Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
As Fluoride Bans Spread, Who Will Be Hit the Hardest?
A recent study projected that if the entire country were to stop adding fluoride to the water supply, tooth decay would increase by about 7.5%, representing about 25 million more cavities. Credit - Linda Raymond—Getty Images Cavities and dental costs are at risk of skyrocketing as a growing number of states consider banning the use of fluoride in public water—and children from low-income households are likely most vulnerable. In March, Utah became the first state to prohibit adding fluoride to drinking water. A couple months later, Florida followed suit. Several other states are now considering similar bills. In a recent study published in JAMA Health Forum, researchers projected what would happen if the entire country were to stop adding fluoride to the water supply. The potential impact on both people's oral health and their dental bills was substantial: Tooth decay, the study found, would increase by about 7.5%—representing about 25 million more cavities—and the U.S. would face about $9.8 billion in additional costs over five years, including both what families would have to pay out-of-pocket for dental care and what the government would need to pay for public health insurance. And those impacts would disproportionately affect children on public insurance plans or without insurance, the researchers found. Fluoridated water is 'an amazing public health intervention that comes straight from the tap,' says the senior author of the study, Dr. Lisa Simon, an internal medicine physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, who is also a general dentist. Read More: The Science Behind Fluoride in Drinking Water 'Fluoride works for everyone—it benefits adults, it benefits children,' Simon says. 'But the people who derive the most benefit from it are people who have a harder time accessing routine dental care.' 'Unfortunately, in our country, that is more likely to be children and families who are low-income, who rely on public insurance, or who otherwise face challenges in getting to a dentist,' she says. States' moves to ban the use of fluoride in public drinking water come as the Trump Administration—due in large part to the influence of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—has pushed back against the practice. Kennedy has long blasted water fluoridation, claiming it is linked to arthritis, bone cancer, IQ loss, and more, and signaled that HHS will stop recommending it. The Environmental Protection Agency has said that it is studying the potential health risks of fluoride, and the Food and Drug Administration said it is taking steps to remove prescription ingestible fluoride supplements for children from the market. Some research suggests that fluoride could be associated with lower IQ scores, but only at significantly high levels of exposure—the amount of fluoride that is added to public water, based on federal guidelines, is far lower. And the majority of public health experts, pediatricians, and dentists insist that water fluoridation is a long-standing practice that is both safe and effective at protecting oral health and fighting cavities and tooth decay. Read More: America's Dental Health Is in Trouble 'It's been touted to be one of the most successful or greatest public health initiatives, right up there with vaccinations,' says Dr. Tomitra Latimer, a pediatrician at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. U.S. localities started adding fluoride to public water in 1945, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has credited the public health initiative for the 'dramatic decline in cavities' in the country in the years since. According to the CDC, drinking fluoridated water reduces cavities by roughly 25% in both children and adults. Tooth decay, though preventable, is one of the most common childhood diseases. And children of color, children who come from low-income households, children on public insurance plans that limit which providers they can see, and children who live in rural areas and have to travel long distances to access care—all of them are at greater risk of developing cavities, according to Latimer. Children with autism also tend to have a heightened risk of developing cavities because they may struggle with brushing their teeth regularly, she says. While there are alternative sources of fluoride that people can purchase, the cost may be out of reach for many families, Latimer says. That's why, she says, fluoridated water is so critical: It's an easily accessible tool that can help protect the oral health of children who are most vulnerable to cavities. And for generations, it's flowed straight from the tap. Contact us at letters@
Time Magazine
06-06-2025
- Health
- Time Magazine
As Fluoride Bans Spread, Who Will Be Hit the Hardest?
Cavities and dental costs are at risk of skyrocketing as a growing number of states consider banning the use of fluoride in public water —and children from low-income households are likely most vulnerable. In March, Utah became the first state to prohibit adding fluoride to drinking water. A couple months later, Florida followed suit. Several other states are now considering similar bills. In a recent study published in JAMA Health Forum, researchers projected what would happen if the entire country were to stop adding fluoride to the water supply. The potential impact on both people's oral health and their dental bills was substantial: Tooth decay, the study found, would increase by about 7.5%—representing about 25 million more cavities—and the U.S. would face about $9.8 billion in additional costs over five years, including both what families would have to pay out-of-pocket for dental care and what the government would need to pay for public health insurance. And those impacts would disproportionately affect children on public insurance plans or without insurance, the researchers found. Fluoridated water is 'an amazing public health intervention that comes straight from the tap,' says the senior author of the study, Dr. Lisa Simon, an internal medicine physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, who is also a general dentist. 'Fluoride works for everyone—it benefits adults, it benefits children,' Simon says. 'But the people who derive the most benefit from it are people who have a harder time accessing routine dental care.' 'Unfortunately, in our country, that is more likely to be children and families who are low-income, who rely on public insurance, or who otherwise face challenges in getting to a dentist,' she says. States' moves to ban the use of fluoride in public drinking water come as the Trump Administration—due in large part to the influence of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—has pushed back against the practice. Kennedy has long blasted water fluoridation, claiming it is linked to arthritis, bone cancer, IQ loss, and more, and signaled that HHS will stop recommending it. The Environmental Protection Agency has said that it is studying the potential health risks of fluoride, and the Food and Drug Administration said it is taking steps to remove prescription ingestible fluoride supplements for children from the market. Some research suggests that fluoride could be associated with lower IQ scores, but only at significantly high levels of exposure—the amount of fluoride that is added to public water, based on federal guidelines, is far lower. And the majority of public health experts, pediatricians, and dentists insist that water fluoridation is a long-standing practice that is both safe and effective at protecting oral health and fighting cavities and tooth decay. 'It's been touted to be one of the most successful or greatest public health initiatives, right up there with vaccinations,' says Dr. Tomitra Latimer, a pediatrician at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. U.S. localities started adding fluoride to public water in 1945, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has credited the public health initiative for the 'dramatic decline in cavities' in the country in the years since. According to the CDC, drinking fluoridated water reduces cavities by roughly 25% in both children and adults. Tooth decay, though preventable, is one of the most common childhood diseases. And children of color, children who come from low-income households, children on public insurance plans that limit which providers they can see, and children who live in rural areas and have to travel long distances to access care—all of them are at greater risk of developing cavities, according to Latimer. Children with autism also tend to have a heightened risk of developing cavities because they may struggle with brushing their teeth regularly, she says. While there are alternative sources of fluoride that people can purchase, the cost may be out of reach for many families, Latimer says. That's why, she says, fluoridated water is so critical: It's an easily accessible tool that can help protect the oral health of children who are most vulnerable to cavities. And for generations, it's flowed straight from the tap.
CBS News
02-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Removing fluoride from water could result in 25 million cavities and cost $9.8 billion, study estimates
New research suggests that removing fluoride from public water would increase dental care costs and tooth decay for children across the United States. The study, published Friday in the JAMA Health Forum, used a nationally representative sample of 8,484 children aged 0 to 19 from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to estimate projected outcomes of stopping water fluoridation in the U.S. — something some states, including Utah and Florida, have already begun doing. Researchers found removing fluoride was associated with an increase in tooth decay of 7.5 percentage points, or 25.4 million cases, and cost approximately $9.8 billion over 5 years. These effects would disproportionately affect publicly insured and uninsured children, who are already at the highest risk of unmet dental needs, the authors added. Fluoride is a mineral that helps strengthen teeth and reduce cavities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It does this by repairing and preventing damage to teeth caused by bacteria in the mouth that produce acid, which in turn dissolves minerals in a tooth's surface and can even lead to tooth loss. Tooth decay by itself can be painful and costly to treat but left untreated can cause further problems, including infections and abscesses or even sepsis, according to the World Health Organization. Some research has also linked poor oral health to other complications, such as cardiovascular disease due to inflammation and infection. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water was long considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century, but Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has brought it into question, claiming fluoride is linked to a slew of health problems. Dental experts have told CBS News they largely disagree. "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," according to the American Dental Association. Fluoride can come from a number of sources, including most toothpaste brands, but researchers say drinking water is the main source for Americans. Plus, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced earlier this year that it is starting the process of removing ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for kids from the market.
CBS News
02-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Removing fluoride from water could result in 25 million cavities and $9.8 billion, study estimates
New research suggests that removing fluoride from public water would increase dental care costs and tooth decay for children across the United States. The study, published Friday in the JAMA Health Forum, used a nationally representative sample of 8,484 children aged 0 to 19 from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to estimate projected outcomes of stopping water fluoridation in the U.S. — something some states, including Utah and Florida, have already begun doing. Researchers found removing fluoride was associated with an increase in tooth decay of 7.5 percentage points, or 25.4 million cases, and cost approximately $9.8 billion over 5 years. These effects would disproportionately affect publicly insured and uninsured children, who are already at the highest risk of unmet dental needs, the authors added. Fluoride is a mineral that helps strengthen teeth and reduce cavities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It does this by repairing and preventing damage to teeth caused by bacteria in the mouth that produce acid, which in turn dissolves minerals in a tooth's surface and can even lead to tooth loss. Tooth decay by itself can be painful and costly to treat but left untreated can cause further problems, including infections and abscesses or even sepsis, according to the World Health Organization. Some research has also linked poor oral health to other complications, such as cardiovascular disease due to inflammation and infection. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water was long considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century, but Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has brought it into question, claiming fluoride is linked to a slew of health problems. Dental experts have told CBS News they largely disagree. "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," according to the American Dental Association. Fluoride can come from a number of sources, including most toothpaste brands, but researchers say drinking water is the main source for Americans. Plus, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced earlier this year that it is starting the process of removing ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for kids from the market.
The Independent
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Kids will develop 25.4 million more cavities if fluoride is banned nationwide, study finds
A national ban on the mineral fluoride in U.S. public drinking water could result in a decayed tooth for one out of every three children, researchers said on Friday. A model estimating the potential impact on children's dental health and its costs found that it would result in a 7.5 percent increase in tooth decay, translating to 25.4 million more teeth. It would also cost an additional $9.8 billion over the course of five years, and $19.4 billion after 10 years. 'Fluoride replaces weaker ions within tooth enamel, making it stronger and less susceptible to tooth decay caused by bacteria,' Dr. Lisa Simon, a founding member of the system and a physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said in a statement. 'There's strong evidence from other countries and cities, such as Calgary in Canada, showing that when fluoride is eliminated, dental disease increases. Our study offers a window into what would happen in the United States if water fluoridation ceased.' Simon was the senior author of the findings, which were published on Friday in the journal JAMA Health Forum. Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral found in the soil and water, has been used to help strengthen tooth enamel for decades. It was first added to public water systems in 1945. It has been deemed one of 10 great public health interventions of the 20th century because of the dramatic decline in cavities since then. Recently, however, states have acted to implement their own bans. The first was in Utah, and Florida followed suit a few weeks later. The bans come as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., told The Associated Press last month that he would instruct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation in drinking water. Kennedy has cited a widely controversial study related to IQ that has been criticized by experts. But dentists say doing so would be costly to the health of Americans — and especially low-income or rural families who may rely on fluoride in drinking water as a cost-effective way to protect their teeth. Children with limited access to dental care are expected to be the most affected by a ban. 'Dental cavities disproportionately affect disadvantaged children,' Dr. Tomitra Latimer, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said in a statement. 'That includes kids with autism, Down syndrome or cerebral palsy, who may take sugary medications or struggle with brushing.' The authors of the JAMA study found that a national ban would substantially increase dental decay and costs, particularly for publicly insured and uninsured children. To develop the model, the researchers used detailed oral health and water fluoridation data in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that was collected from 8,484 children ages 19 and below. Then, they simulated two scenarios over periods of five and 10 years. One would maintain current fluoride levels, and the second would eliminate fluoride from public drinking water. They ran the simulation 1,000 times. The number of fluorosis cases — the discoloring of tooth enamel due to excessive fluoride intake — decreased by 0.2 million. The study did not look at cognitive effects from fluoride exposure, saying that current levels of fluoride in public water are not associated with worse neurobehavioral outcomes. The current recommended fluoride level in public water systems is 0.7 milligrams per liter. 'We know fluoride works. We're able to show just how much it works for most communities and how much people stand to lose if we get rid of it,' said Simon. 'Extensive research confirms the recommended level significantly reduces dental cavities without posing health risks,' Latimer said.
