Utah becomes first US state to ban fluoride in drinking water

(Patria) - The western US state of Utah has become the first to ban fluoridation of public drinking water, part of a growing movement questioning a decades-old public health practice, reported AFP.

New US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long been a vocal critic of fluoridated water, which currently reaches about 200 million Americans, roughly two-thirds of the population.

The Utah ban, signed by Governor Spencer Cox on Thursday, is set to take effect on May 7. Legislatures in other Republican-led states, including North Dakota, Tennessee and Montana, are considering similar measures.

The ban is not limited to red states. Liberal-leaning cities such as Portland, Oregon, and the city and county of Honolulu in Hawaii have also banned fluoridation.

Fluoride was first introduced into US water systems in 1945, dramatically reducing childhood cavities and tooth loss in adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hails it as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.

However, controversy has grown over its potential neurotoxic effects. Last year, the Department of Health and Human Services under former President Joe Biden concluded with "moderate confidence" that higher fluoride levels are linked to lower IQ scores.

This January, an article in the prestigious journal JAMA Pediatrics, authored by the same government scientists, found a "statistically significant association" between fluoride exposure and reduced IQ. However, it left open key questions about what dosage levels may be harmful.

The World Health Organization's safety threshold is 1.5 milligrams per liter, roughly double the US guideline of 0.7 mg/l, and the study says there is insufficient data to determine whether that limit should be revised.

The dental and public health community generally opposes ending fluoridation. Critics of the recent study argue it failed to adequately control for confounding variables and environmental factors.

Fluoride occurs naturally in varying concentrations and strengthens teeth in several ways: by remineralizing enamel lost to acid, reducing acid production by cavity-causing bacteria, and making it harder for those bacteria to adhere to enamel.

Advocates argue that fluoridation reduces socioeconomic disparities in dental care.

But with fluoride toothpaste widely available since the 1960s, some research points to diminishing returns.

A recent Canadian study found that stopping fluoridation increases tooth decay, while an Irish study reported a reduction in severe cavities in both fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas.

Fluoridation policy also varies widely from country to country, with many, including Germany and France, completely avoiding the practice.