Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s claims that fluoride is "an industrial waste" that President-elect Donald Trump will recommend removing from public water in 2025 has a celebrity dentist raising the importance of balancing public health and individual choice.
Dr. Jay Grossman.
Dr. Jay Grossman, who has operated Concierge Dentistry in Brentwood, CA, since 1991, said in a press release dated November 13 that now is the time to consider thoughtful solutions to potential problems with fluoride instead of taking premature actions like those advocated by Kennedy.
"I don't see any proposed alternatives to support the communities that benefit the most from fluoridation," Grossman said. "While it's true that adding substances to our water supply limits personal choice, it's equally important to consider the broader health implications."
Kennedy, who Trump nominated November 14 as the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under his administration, said on January 20, that when Trump returns to office, his administration will call for fluoride to no longer be added to community drinking water systems.
Grossman, whose patients have included John Travolta, William H. Macy, and Sharon Stone, said the primary controversy with water fluoridation is its consumption in high concentrations, which can lead to brittle bones and thyroid and neurological problems.
"The core question we must address is: how much fluoride is safe, and should the government be responsible for its inclusion in our water, or should individuals have the choice?" Grossman said.
Trump, who has said he supports some of Kennedy's controversial views on health. Kennedy is an environmental lawyer with no medical or public health background.
Furthermore, Grossman said it will be interesting to see how the current administration addresses community water fluoridation.
"At the end of the day, the goal is to protect public health while respecting individual choice," Grossman said.
More than 70% of public drinking water in the U.S. is fluoridated. Despite the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention naming water fluoridation one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, the practice has many critics, specifically for its potential negative health risks.
A study published on October 18 in the Journal of Health Economics revealed that children exposed to public fluoridated water between the ages of 0 and 5 may experience less economic independence, physical ability, and health as adults.
Also in October, a review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews revealed that drinking fluoridated water may not be so important now that people in the U.S. use toothpaste and mouthwashes that contain cavity-fighting fluoride.
That review came two weeks after a U.S. judge in California issued a milestone decision determining that adding fluoride to public drinking water to help prevent tooth decay is risky to individuals, including children who may face lowered IQs, and therefore requires government intervention.
Additionally, the judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take regulatory action to address these risks. The EPA must determine the potential harm of fluoride in drinking water and determine how to respond under its amended Toxic Substances Control Act.
