What is fluoride? Why health experts maintain that it's 'safe and effective'
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has gone after fluoride in drinking water, a move that medical experts widely disagree with.
Water fluoridation has been proven to be so effective at preventing tooth decay that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named it one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, a time during which Americans' life expectancies rose by 30 years.
"Fluoride has been studied extensively for decades and is considered safe and effective at recommended levels," cosmetic dentist Dr. James Heaton tells Paste BN. "While some debates focus on the ethics of water fluoridation or potential health concerns, the overwhelming consensus from the American Dental Association, CDC and World Health Organization is that fluoride is a critical tool in preventing tooth decay."
Here's what licensed medical experts want you to know about fluoride:
What does fluoride do?
"Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water, soil and various foods," Heaton says. "It plays a crucial role in strengthening tooth enamel and preventing cavities, which is why it’s commonly added to public water supplies and dental products like toothpaste and mouth rinses."
Some research has also shown that taking fluoride or drinking fluoridated water could help lower the risk of broken bones, though researchers say more studies are needed to fully understand fluoride's impact on bone health.
But more than 75 years of research has confirmed that water fluoridation is safe and effective for dental health, according to the American Dental Association.
"Fluoride helps to remineralize and strengthen tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acid attacks from bacteria and sugars in the mouth," Heaton adds. "It also disrupts the activity of harmful bacteria, reducing the risk of cavities."
Is fluoride good or bad for you?
More than 100 health organizations, including the CDC, American Medical Association, WHO, American Academy of Pediatrics and ADA, maintain that water fluoridation is safe and effective.
"When incorporated into developing teeth in children, fluoride can make the enamel more durable for life," Heaton notes.
If you're still concerned about you or your child being exposed to too much fluoride, Heaton recommends speaking to your dentist about finding a "balance that protects oral health without overexposure," though he notes cases of dental or other health issues due to very high amounts fluoride consumption are "rare and typically associated with long-term excessive intake." The standard amounts of fluoride in public tap water are not high enough to cause those sorts of issues, according to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements.
Three major reasons why health experts endorse adding fluoride to water, according to the ADA, are:
◾Tooth decay prevention. Cavities are one of the most common childhood diseases, and fluoride in water is the most efficient way to prevent them, per the ADA. Even with access to fluoride in other sources, including fluoride toothpaste, research has shown that fluoride in water prevents at least 25% of tooth decay in children and adults.
◾It's cheaper than dental treatments. The ADA estimates that for every $1 invested in adding fluoride to water, it saves people about $38 that they otherwise would need to spend at the dentist fixing cavities.
◾It's natural. Amid the rise in concern over non-natural food, cleaning supplies and other everyday products, dentists note that fluoride is "naturally present in groundwater and the oceans," per the ADA, and water is only supplemented with extra fluoride to bring it to the recommended level to be able to help prevent tooth decay. Experts liken it to milk fortified with vitamin D or orange juice fortified with calcium ‒ both naturally occurring vitamins or minerals that are adjusted to be able to help users reach the recommended daily amounts.