RFK Jr. wants states to ban fluoride in drinking water. Where does NC stand?
U.S. Health Secretary Robert. F. Kennedy Jr. said this month he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending the use of fluoride in drinking water, the Associated Press reported.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, responsible for setting fluoride limits in water, said it is reviewing the potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water.
Does NC require fluoride?
Fluoride is not required by the state of North Carolina.
Local government and local water utilities decide whether to add fluoridation to water. The city of Charlotte was one of the first cities to start fluoridating its water in 1949. The city of Raleigh began fluoridating its water after a public referendum in 1956.
Which NC counties banned fluoride?
Kennedy’s move comes weeks after Lincoln County commissioners voted to discontinue the use of fluoride in the county’s drinking water.
Lincoln became the second county to eliminate fluoride from its water supply, after Union County commissioners voted to ban its use last year, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
In February, Lincoln County commissioners adopted a resolution to explain their decision with the state Department of Health and Human Services. After months of discussion, commissioners ultimately made their decision due to concerns associated with fluoride consumption and the high cost to replace the county’s fluoride system, which came with a price tag of up to $1.25 million, NC Health News reported.
Though fluoride is seen as beneficial by medical experts, its use in drinking water has sparked a debate ignited by Kennedy, who has been a vocal opponent of fluoride use.
In a November social media post, Kennedy claimed fluoride is linked to a variety of health issues, including arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders and thyroid disease — but experts disagree.
What is fluoride, and is it safe? Here’s what to know.
What is fluoride?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in many foods and water, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Known for its dental benefits, fluoride is also used by dentists to treat teeth. Most toothpastes contain fluoride, which helps reduce tooth decay, the Oral Health Foundation says.
Foods with fluoride in them
Aside from getting added to water and dental products, fluoride naturally occurs in many foods, according to the National Institutes of Health, including:
Tea
Coffee
Shrimp
Raisins
Oatmeal
Grapefruit
Potatoes
Benefits of fluoride in drinking water
Studies show that community water fluoridation can help prevent cavities, which can save families money in the long run, according to the CDC.
“Drinking fluoridated water keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities by about 25% in children and adults,” the CDC says. “This results in less mouth pain, fewer fillings or teeth pulled, and fewer missed days of work and school.”
Communities served by fluoridated water save an average of $32 per person annually by avoiding treatment for cavities, according to the CDC.
Risks to fluoride in drinking water
Though fluoride provides dental benefits, recent opposition to its inclusion in drinking water has cropped up around the world, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Those against fluoride in drinking water say it could be difficult to regulate how much people ingest since everyone drinks different amounts of water. Others say excessive fluoride intake could cause dental fluorosis, a cosmetic disorder where the teeth become mottled.
Dissenters also say fluoride can be received from other sources other than water, such as toothpaste or mouthwash.
Some studies show that increased fluoride levels can lead to cognitive impairment in children, but none of those studies were conducted in the U.S. and the “quality of those studies is poor,” according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
What would happen if fluoride was banned from drinking water?
Rates of dental decay would likely increase in communities without fluoride in drinking water, according to the American Fluoridation Society.
One study found that, after more than five years without fluoride in drinking water, rates of tooth decay in Antigo, Wisconsin jumped 200% in second grade children, 70% in fourth graders and 91% in sixth graders, according to the AFS.
Another study conducted in Galesburg, Illinois found that the number of cavity-free 14-year-olds dropped by 10% and the rate of cavities went up by 38% when the city switched its water supply from naturally fluoridated water to an alternative water source with little fluoride.
The News & Observer’s Anna Roman contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 8, 2025 at 11:18 AM with the headline "RFK Jr. wants states to ban fluoride in drinking water. Where does NC stand?."
