The Fluoride Debate is Heating Up!

While only a handful of countries continue to fluoridate their public water supply, the debate in the US is really starting to ramp up.

In a response to the backlash from a major court case regarding the adding of fluoride to the water supply, the US recently adjusted the maximum allowable level of fluoride in the water down to 0.7 mg/l in hopes to satisfy the growing rumblings of those seeking its complete removal.

However, this was only recognized as simply applying a bandaid that a growing number of the population wants ripped off permanently.

The level of fluoride recommended in Australia is an astonishing 1.5 mg/l or more than double that of the US by comparison.

But things are changing in the States.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has issued a recommendation against the fluoridation of tap water in the state.

Last week, the city commission in Winter Haven, Florida, voted to remove fluoride from the water by January 1 next year or “as soon as reasonably practical thereafter.”

In his announcement Ladapo said his recommendation was “due to the neuropsychiatric risk associated with fluoride exposure.”

“Community water fluoridation is the process of adjusting the amount of fluoride in drinking water to a level recommended to prevent tooth decay,” Ladapo’s office said in the guidance. “Historically, community water fluoridation was considered to be a method to systemically, through ingestion, deliver fluoride to all community members. However, currently many municipalities across the U.S. and several European countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, and Sweden, have eliminated water fluoridation.”

The guidance continued:

Floridians should be aware of safety concerns related to systemic fluoride exposure including:

• Adverse effects in children reducing IQ, cognitive impairment, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
• Increased neurobehavioral problems in children whose mothers ingested fluoride during pregnancy.
• Accumulation of fluoride in the pineal gland, causing sleep cycle disturbance.
• Skeletal fluorosis, which could increase the risk of bone fracture.
• Potential risk of premature menarche in adolescent girls.
• Potential suppression of the thyroid gland by inhibiting iodine absorption.

“Due to the neuropsychiatric risk associated with fluoride exposure, particularly in pregnant women and children, and the wide availability of alternative sources of fluoride for dental health, the State Surgeon General recommends against community water fluoridation.”

Robert Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, has announced that the administration will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from tap water on day one.

In a post to X earlier this month, Kennedy said water fluoridation is “industrial waste.”

“On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S​. water systems to remove fluoride from public water,” Kennedy wrote. “Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease.”

Kennedy added that the president-elect and Melania Trump want to “Make America Healthy Again.”

“It is clear more research is necessary to address safety and efficacy concerns regarding community water fluoridation,” said Ladapo. “The previously considered benefit of community water fluoridation does not outweigh the current known risks, especially for special populations like pregnant women and children.”

Fortunately there are some water filters available that can help. Some can even retain all the beneficial minerals organically present in the water, and there are options for both the kitchen (point of use solutions) as well as the whole house (point of entry solutions).