Florida is poised to become the second state to ban fluoride from public water systems, following Utah doing so last month. The Florida Farm Bill—which doesn't specifically name fluoride, but bans "the use of certain additives in a water system"—has passed the state legislature and now awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis' signature, NBC News reports. The addition of fluoride in water is backed by organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dental Association, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which say there is overwhelming evidence that fluoride strengthens teeth, thus reducing cavities. DeSantis, a Republican, has in the past referred to the fluoridation of water as "forced medication," the Washington Post reports.
The Trump administration, most notably Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is seemingly on a crusade against fluoride, which it claims is harmful in high concentrations, but dentists and public health experts say that's not an issue with the amount of fluoride that's added to drinking water. "This bill doesn't hurt the wealthy. They'll keep seeing private dentists, getting their expensive treatments and flashing their perfect smiles," says a Democratic Florida state representative. "But for everyday Floridians, the people who clock in at 6am, who can't take time ... off for their dental visits, who rely on water from their taps to protect their kids, this bill takes a safe and proven and affordable public health tool and rips it away." (RFK Jr. reportedly wants the CDC to stop recommending fluoride.)
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