Fluoridated water has shaped U.S. dental policy since the 1940s, when officials began adding fluoride to public water supplies in an effort to reduce childhood cavities.1 As of 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 72.3% of Americans on community water systems (about 62.8% of the entire population) received fluoridated water,2 making systemic exposure nearly unavoidable.
Mounting evidence now shows that fluoride offers little measurable benefit for dental health while introducing significant risks, particularly for children. Many countries, including Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, have already abandoned water fluoridation.3 In the U.S., Utah and Florida recently became the first states to ban the practice, and similar bills are emerging elsewhere.4
However, in places where fluoride is not added to tap water, fluoride supplements are prescribed for infants and children. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it is taking action to restrict the use of these prescription fluoride supplements, following a directive from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission to reassess their safety and effectiveness.5
