According to RFK Jr., fluoride is “an industrial waste” that has been linked to cancer, disease and disorders. Here's what the science says

CNN
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. waded into another scientific debate Saturday by saying that Donald Trump's administration would recommend removing fluoride from the nation's water supplies if the former president wins Tuesday's presidential election.

“On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all of the United States. Water systems to remove fluoride from public waters. “Fluoride is an industrial waste that has been linked to arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders and thyroid disease,” Kennedy, a former independent presidential candidate, wrote in a social media post.

Trump has suggested that Kennedy, who was an environmental lawyer before entering politics, would oversee a health care portfolio in his next administration.

At a campaign rally in New York last week, Trump said he would “commit to health,” “commit to food” and “commit to medication” on Kennedy. At a rally in Michigan on Friday, Trump said Kennedy would “play a big role in health care” and had “some views that I happen to agree with very strongly.”

Here's what health experts are weighing as the public health practice of adding fluoride to America's water supply comes under increasing scrutiny.

Fluoride occurs naturally in the environment in water and rocks, as well as in some foods. According to the CDC, the mineral can also be a byproduct of an industry.

In September, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take additional measures to regulate fluoride levels in drinking water because of the risk that higher levels of the mineral could harm children's intellectual development.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen ruled that while it is not clear whether the amount of fluoride normally added to water causes a decline in children's intelligence quotients, the risk is sufficient to warrant investigation and that the EPA needs to take further regulatory action. The ruling did not spell out what action the EPA must take, and the agency is currently reviewing the decision.

And experts agree that despite the politicization of the issue, more research is needed to understand the effects of fluoride – not just on young children, but also on the general population.

Dr. Ashley Malin, an assistant professor in the department of epidemiology at the University of Florida's College of Public Health and Health Professions, told CNN in an email that “protecting vulnerable populations from environmental toxins is a nonpartisan issue that the current state needs to stay informed about.” “should.” of science.”

“I think that the health effects of fluoride on young children, particularly in the area of ​​neurodevelopment, have been sufficiently studied that it has now been determined that there is a risk to children's IQs. However, I would argue that further research is needed to better understand the effects of chronic low fluoride exposure on adult health, as this research is scarce,” said Malin.

A federal review released in August by the National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health concluded that higher levels of fluoride are linked to lower intelligence quotients in children.

The program based its conclusion on studies that found fluoride levels were about twice the U.S. recommended limit for drinking water.

However, the review also noted that exposure levels at lower concentrations were less clear: “Evidence of an association between fluoride exposure below 1.5 mg/L and lower IQ in children appeared to be less consistent than the results of studies at higher exposure levels.”

Previous research has also shown that higher fluoride exposure during pregnancy is associated with a decline in intelligence quotient in children.

A 2019 study that looked at Canadian mothers and children found that for each additional milligram per liter of fluoride concentration in a mother's urine, IQ in men fell by 4.5 points. The study did not find such a significant association in female children, nor did it examine why boys were more affected.

What we know about fluoride and health

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends community water fluoridation as a cost-effective way to improve Americans' oral health.

Fluoride exposure beyond the FDA recommended amount for many years can lead to skeletal fluorosis, a condition rare in the United States that causes weaker bones and joint pain. Too much fluoride can also lead to dental fluorosis, which is cosmetic in nature and can cause the outer layer of tooth enamel to have white spots or lines.

According to the CDC and the American Cancer Society, recent research examining the connection between cancer and fluoride levels has found no connection.

According to the CDC, there is also no evidence that fluoride can cause birth defects in humans.

The mineral may help prevent tooth decay by strengthening the protective outer layer of tooth enamel, which can be worn away by acids created by bacteria, plaque and sugar in the mouth. The addition of fluoride to public water systems first began in 1945 in the United States.

According to CDC data, nearly three-quarters of the U.S. population – about 209 million people – now have fluoridated drinking water systems.

State and local governments control the majority of water supplies in communities across the country. Some communities across the country, such as Portland, Oregon and Tucson, Arizona, have voted to stop adding fluoride to their water.

Recent reports suggest that the benefits of adding fluoride to the water supply may not be as great as they once were, especially given the widespread use of toothpaste containing fluoride, which has been available since the 1970s.

Last month, a report from the Cochrane Collaboration, an independent group that systematically analyzes scientific research, found that adding fluoride to tap water provides little benefit, leading to slightly less tooth decay in children's baby teeth.

According to the Cochrane report, other studies found that fluoride in water, on average, only resulted in a difference in tooth decay in about a quarter of a tooth.

However, the American Dental Association says that fluoride in municipal water supplies is “the most effective health measure for preventing dental caries.”

“Studies show that water fluoridation continues to be effective in reducing tooth decay in children and adults by at least 25%, even in this day and age when fluoride comes from other sources, such as: B. fluoride toothpaste, is widely used,” the ADA says on its website.

The CDC continues to promote the safety and benefits of community water fluoridation.

“Water fluoridation has proven to be the most cost-effective method of providing fluoride to all members of the community, regardless of age, educational attainment or income level,” the agency wrote in a statement in May.

If you're concerned about your fluoride intake, you can switch to bottled water, look for water filters that filter out fluoride, and make sure your kids don't swallow their toothpaste.