By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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TUESDAY, April 8, 2025 (HealthDay News) — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr<\/a>. says he will tell the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water across the country.<\/p>\n He also announced plans to form a special task force to focus on health risks of fluoride.<\/p>\n Kennedy made the comments Monday during a media event with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin<\/a> in Salt Lake City.<\/p>\n Last month, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water supplies.<\/p>\n The EPA said it is reviewing new science about the possible dangers of fluoride in water, The Associated Press <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n Kennedy can\u2019t force communities to stop fluoridating water, but he can influence the CDC\u2019s recommendations and work with the EPA to change the allowed limits.<\/p>\n The CDC currently recommends 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, while the EPA allows up to 4 milligrams.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very, very proud of this state for being the first state to ban it, and I hope many more will,\u201d Kennedy said, referring to Utah.<\/p>\n Under its new law, all water systems in the state must stop adding fluoride<\/a> by May 7.<\/p>\n Kennedy called fluoride a \u201cdangerous neurotoxin\u201d that may also be linked to arthritis, thyroid problems and bone fractures, according to The Associated Press<\/em>.<\/p>\n Some studies have found possible health risks at higher-than-recommended levels of fluoride, but experts say more research is needed.<\/p>\n Fluoride has long been used to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities.<\/p>\n The CDC and other health groups have supported fluoridation since the 1950s, calling it one of the top public health achievements of the last century.<\/p>\n Today, nearly two-thirds of Americans drink fluoridated water, according to the CDC. An estimated 17,000 water systems serving more than 60% of the U.S. population are fluoridated.<\/p>\n But experts have concerns. Last year, the National Toxicology Program reviewed studies from six countries and found that fluoride levels above 1.5 milligrams per liter were linked to lower IQ in kids.<\/p>\n The CDC\u2019s 20-member Division of Oral Health was eliminated in recent federal staffing cuts.<\/p>\n That office helped local agencies improve dental care and, in some cases, encouraged fluoridation, according to The Associated Press<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen this evaluation is completed, we will have an updated foundational scientific evaluation that will inform the agency\u2019s future steps,\u201d the EPA’s Zeldin said. \u201cSecretary Kennedy has long been at the forefront of this issue. His advocacy was instrumental in our decision to review fluoride exposure risks and we are committed to working alongside him, utilizing sound science as we advance our mission of protecting human health and the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n Lorna Koci<\/a>, chair of the Utah Oral Health Coalition, said she expects more kids will suffer from cavities because of the new law.<\/p>\n \u201cThis seems to be less about fluoride and more about power,\u201d Koci concluded, adding that many backers of the fluoride ban in Utah had spread false health claims.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has more on why fluoride is in water<\/a>.<\/p>\n