With Fluoride Ban in Place, Utah Dentists Brace for Trouble

They expect more tooth decay, especially in kids, after law went into effect on drinking water
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 11, 2025 11:05 AM CDT
With Fluoride Ban in Place, Utah Dentists Brace for Trouble
Sasha Harvey, executive director of Salt Lake Donated Dental Services, is seen in her clinic, which provides free or heavily discounted dental treatment to low-income patients, on Monday in Salt Lake City.   (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)

With Utah's first-in-the-nation ban on fluoride in public drinking water having taken effect on Wednesday, dentists who treat children and low-income patients say they're bracing for an increase in tooth decay among the state's most vulnerable. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed the law against the recommendation of many dentists and health experts who warn removing fluoride will harm tooth development, especially in young patients without regular access to dental care. The bill's sponsor, GOP Rep. Stephanie Gricius, said she doesn't dispute that fluoride can have benefits, but thinks people shouldn't be given it by the government without their informed consent, per the AP.

  • Fluoridation: The process involves supplementing low levels of naturally occurring fluoride in most water to reach the 0.7 milligrams per liter recommended by the CDC for cavity prevention. Water treatment plants dump fluoride into the water in liquid or powder form and often use dosing pumps to adjust levels.
  • Benefits: Fluoride fortifies teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, per the CDC. It's especially important for children with still-developing teeth. For some low-income families, public water containing fluoride may be their only source of preventative dental care. Nearly two-thirds of the US population receives fluoridated drinking water, per health officials, which has long been considered among the greatest public health achievements of the last century.
  • Critics: Some supporters of the law point to studies linking high levels of fluoride exposure to illness and low IQ in kids. The National Institutes of Health, however, says it's "virtually impossible" to get a toxic dose from fluoride added to water or toothpaste at standard levels.

  • Stats: A majority of Utah water systems already didn't add fluoride. The state ranked 44th in the nation for the percentage of residents receiving fluoridated water, with about 2 in 5 receiving it in 2022, per CDC data. The law will impact about 1.6 million people in Salt Lake City and elsewhere in Utah.
  • Governmental reaction: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. applauded Utah and said he plans to direct the CDC to stop recommending fluoridation nationwide. Florida could soon become the second state to ban fluoride under a bill awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis' signature; the Ohio and South Carolina legislatures are considering similar measures.
More here. (More fluoride stories.)

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