Kennedy Appointment as HHS Chief Bolsters Fight Against Fluoride in Drinking Water

A debate about the use of fluoride in drinking water that was once largely ignored has opened back up. It's been sparked by President-elect Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Trump has chosen Robert Kennedy Jr. (RFK) for the post.

RFK has called for an end to adding fluoride to water. Fluoride is added to water in many parts of the US because it helps prevent tooth decay. In a recent post on X, RFK called fluoride “industrial waste.” He went on to claim it causes a wide range of health problems. They include arthritis, brain function, bone cancer, and thyroid disease.       

RFK’s critics say his claims are not true. They say the claims come from old conspiracy theories that date back as far as 1945. That's when the US started adding fluoride to its water systems. Those theories include claims that fluoride was being used as a weapon to kill people or control their minds.     

“Fluoride has been well tested. It clearly and definitively decreases cavities, and is not associated with any clear evidence of the chronic diseases mentioned in that tweet,” Paul Offit told NPR. He's a doctor and researcher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a science denialist. He makes up his own scientific truths and ignores the actual truths.”  

Some research does support RFK's claims about fluoride. Some studies have shown a link between too much fluoride and lower IQ level in children. A government review of those studies confirmed the link. But it also found that fluoride levels in US drinking water systems are well below toxic levels of fluoride.    

The US is one of 60 countries with fluoride in drinking water.    

Reflect: How do you decide whether to trust information you hear about important issues?