As of July 1, Florida will ban what has been considered one of the greatest public health successes of the 20th century — adding fluoride to drinking water.
On May 15, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law the Florida Farm Bill, which, among other things, removed fluoride from the state’s list of approved water additives.
In signing the law, DeSantis, who has called water fluoridation “forced medication,” made Florida the second state to ban the process that has been credited with reducing cavities and tooth decay, as fluoride strengthens the protective enamel that surrounds primary and permanent teeth.
The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, the island chain’s public water company, announced last month that it would follow state law and stop adding fluoride to Keys drinking water.
“The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority (FKAA) has used fluoride in its drinking water since the 1940s,” the utility said in a prepared statement, “Like other public water treatment and distribution systems across the United States, fluoridation has been a common practice. … Effective July 1, FKAA will no longer be adding any substance to the public water system which does not meet the definition of a water quality additive, including fluoride.
“Both the legislature and the governor have been very clear on this issue and in adherence to Florida law we will no longer be adding fluoride to our water supply,” said FKAA executive director Greg Veliz.
The Florida Keys Area Health Education Center (AHEC), which operates a mobile pediatric dental van for uninsured and underinsured kids, weighed in on Florida’s fluoride ban.
“At Keys AHEC, we care deeply about the oral health of the children we serve,” said Michael Cunningham, CEO of Keys AHEC. “Without fluoride in the water, we’re concerned we may see more cavities and dental issues — especially in families with limited access to care. We know there are different views on fluoridation, but we also know it’s helped prevent tooth decay for decades. As this change moves forward, we strongly recommend using fluoride toothpaste every day and keeping up with regular dental checkups. We’ll keep following the research and continue doing everything we can to support healthy smiles in our community.”
Key West dentist Lou Spelios also pointed to the past success of water fluoridation in reducing cavities and tooth decay.
“I’m 65 years old and have been a dentist for 37 years, and I know my parents’ generation and my generation had more cavities than more recent generations,” Spelios said. “I really think the fluoridation did have an impact. I may not be able to equate the fewer cavities entirely to water fluoridation, as they also started adding it to toothpaste, but I certainly don’t think it hurt us.”
The National Institutes of Health studied water fluoridation extensively.
“Over the past 60 years, research studies conducted in several countries were remarkably consistent in demonstrating substantial reductions in (tooth decay and cavity) prevalence as a result of water fluoridation,” states a 2018 NIH study that reviewed dozens of studies showing fluoridation led to a 40% to 60% reduction in tooth decay and cavities in both children’s and adult teeth.
In recent years, though, opponents of fluoridation have cited studies showing that, like most, fluoride in high amounts can have adverse health effects. Such concerns led public water facilities to reduce and limit the amount of fluoride that was added to drinking water. Excessive fluoride can have adverse impacts on teeth, discoloring them and making them fragile, while fluoride toxicity can lead to gastrointestinal problems. It occurs rarely in very young children who accidentally consume fluoride-enriched toothpastes and mouthwash, which are not intended to be swallowed.
Like the governor, many of the same opponents of fluoridation also claim it is a form of forced medication and should be an individual choice.
As of July 1, those who have supported water fluoridation urge Florida residents and visitors to ensure they are using fluoride-enriched toothpaste to protect their teeth, as the public water utilities will no longer be adding fluoride to drinking water.
