Florida becomes the second state to ban fluoride in public water: NPR

And Martínez, host:

Florida is today the country’s second state to Utah, which forbids fluoride in all public waters. Tristan Wood reported by WFSU member station.

Tristan Wood, Byline: Fluoride is a mineral with which cavities are fought. It was first used in municipal waterways in America in 1945. The politicians recently pointed out a mixture of fluoride studies to ban practice. One of these politicians is the general surgeon of Florida, Joseph Ladapo. He says that the ban on fluoridation is the right step.

(Soundbite of the archived recording)

Joseph Ladapo: It’s okay to reverse your position if there are evidence. I mean, that’s the right thing. You are in a leadership position. You are there to serve people.

Wood: The evidence he points to IS IS research results in Jama Pädiatrie, which examined several studies outside the USA, indicates a connection between a high fluoride level and a low decrease in the IQ of the children. The fluoride exposure examined in these studies was much higher than the public waters in the United States during the law on Thursday, Ron Desantis, said Florida’s governor.

(Soundbite of the archived recording)

Ron Desantis: Yes, use fluoride for your teeth. That’s okay. But forcing it into the water supply is basically forced medication against people. You have no choice. They take it away.

Wood: Several groups, including the Florida Dental Association, criticize the move. Low fluoride values ​​used in drinking water in the United States are generally considered safe and an essential part of dental health. The President of the Association, Jeff Ottley, fears the effects of oral health on people throughout Florida. He is particularly concerned about poor children at Medicaid because not enough dentists accept it.

Jeff Ottley: You will have an increase in the number of cavities and increase the severity of the cavities. And then because we have such a lack of medicaid-providing dentists, you cannot find providers who help to take care of these problems.

Wood: The fluoride ban in Florida comes into force on July 1st.

For NPR messages I am Tristan Wood in Tallahassee.

(Soundbite from Human Bell’s “Hymn America”))

Copyright © 2025 NPr. All rights reserved. Visit our website Conditions of use And Authorizations Pages at www.npr.org More information.

The accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts can vary. The transcript text can be revised to correct errors or coordinate updates with audio. Audio on Npr.org can be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The decisive recording of the programming of NPR is the Audio data record.