RFK Jr. says fluoride is an ‘industrial waste’ linked to cancer, disease and disorders. Here’s what the science says CNN

CNN
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. waded into some scientific debate on Saturday by saying that Donald Trump’s administration would recommend that fluoride be removed 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 US water systems to remove fluoride from public water. Fluoride is an industrial waste linked to arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, loss of IQ, problems a neurodevelopmental and thyroid disease,” Kennedy, a former independent presidential candidate, wrote in a social media post.

Trump suggested that Kennedy, who was an environmental lawyer before entering politics, would take care of the health care job in his next administration.

At a campaign rally in New York last week, Trump said he would let Kennedy “live a healthy life,” “eat food” and “take medicine.” At a rally in Michigan on Friday, Trump said Kennedy “will have a big role in health care” and has “some ideas that I strongly agree with.”

Here’s what health experts are weighing as the public health implications of adding fluoride to America’s water supply come under greater scrutiny.

Fluoride is found naturally in the environment in water and rocks, as well as in some foods. Minerals can also be a byproduct of certain industries, according to the CDC.

A federal judge in September ordered the US Environmental Protection Agency to take more steps to control fluoride in drinking water because of the potential risk that high levels of the mineral could affect cognitive development. of children.

US District Judge Edward Chen ruled that while it is not clear whether the amount of fluoride commonly added to water causes a drop in IQ in children, there is sufficient risk to investigate and that EPA needs to do more to control it. The decision did not say what steps the EPA needs to take and the agency is currently reviewing the decision.

And experts agree that regardless of the politics of this issue, more research is needed to understand the effect of fluoride – not only for young children, but also for 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 people from environmental toxins is a neutral issue that should always informed by the current state of science.”

“I think that the health effects of fluoride in young children, especially in the area of ​​neurodevelopment have been studied enough that it is now known that there is a risk to a child’s IQ. However, I would argue that more research is needed to better understand the effects of chronic fluoride exposure on health outcomes in adults because that research is lacking,” Malin said.

A federal study released in August by the National Toxicology Program at the National Institutes of Health concluded that high levels of fluoride are associated with lower IQ in children.

The program based its results on studies that linked fluoride levels to about twice the US recommended limit for drinking water.

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

Previous research has also found that high levels of fluoride exposure during pregnancy are associated with lower IQ in children.

A 2019 study of Canadian mothers and children found for one additional milligram per liter of fluoride in the mother’s urine, there was a 4.5-point drop in IQ in men. 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 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends public water fluoridation as a cost-effective way to improve the oral health of Americans.

Exposure to fluoride in excess of recommended public health levels over many years can cause skeletal fluorosis, a rare condition in the US that causes weakening of the bones and joints. Too much fluoride can also lead to dental fluorosis, which is plaque and can cause the outer surface of the tooth enamel to develop white spots or lines.

Recent research examining the relationship between cancer and fluoride levels has not found an association, according to the CDC and the American Cancer Society.

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

The mineral can help prevent tooth decay by strengthening the protective outer layer of enamel that can be worn away by the acid produced by bacteria, plaque and sugar in the mouth. Adding fluoride to public water systems began in the United States in 1945.

Currently, about a third of the US population – about 209 million people – are served by fluoridated drinking water systems, according to CDC data.

State and local governments control most of the water supply in municipalities across the country. Some communities across the country, such as Portland, Oregon, and Tucson, Arizona, have opted out of adding fluoride to their water.

Recent reports suggest that the benefits of adding fluoride to the water supply may not be as important as they once were, especially with the widespread use of fluoride toothpaste, which has been around since in the 1970s.

Last month, a report from the Cochrane Collaboration, an independent group that systematically reviews scientific research, found little benefit from adding fluoride to tap water, leading to less tooth decay in children. .

Other studies have found that fluoride in water has led to a difference in tooth decay in only about a quarter of a tooth, on average, according to the Cochrane report.

However, the American Dental Association says fluoride in the public water supply is “the only effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay.”

“Studies show that water fluoridation continues to be effective in reducing tooth decay by at least 25% in children and adults, even when fluoride is available from other sources, such as soap. dental fluoride,” the ADA said on its website.

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

“Water fluoridation has been selected as the most cost-effective way to provide fluoride to all members of the community regardless of age, educational experience, or income level,” the organization wrote in a statement in May.

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