The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) has criticized the recent decision to stop recommending community water fluoridation in the U.S. and wants the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue recommending the cavity-fighting measure.
The AGD stated in a press release dated April 10 that it was disappointed in the decision by U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy to direct the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending the addition of fluoride to community water, calling it a rejection of decades of research supporting its public health benefits.
It emphasized that fluoride opponents often cite studies from regions with much higher fluoride levels than those used safely in the U.S. (0.7 mg/L). Research from cities like Juneau, Alaska, and Calgary, Alberta, where water fluoridation was halted, showed a significant rise in tooth decay, according to the AGD.
Similar to a statement released by the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA), the AGD urges the CDC and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy to rely on solid, peer-reviewed science and continue supporting water fluoridation to protect public oral health.
