FL Bans Fluoride In Drinking Water: 5 Things To Know

FLORIDA — Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill banning fluoride and other medical additives in public drinking water into law Tuesday, making Florida the second state to ban the additive.

Despite the concerns of dentists and public health advocates who say the mineral is a safe and effective way to prevent people from developing cavities, the law was enacted.

"Jamming fluoride in the water supply … is essentially a forced medication," DeSantis said during a news conference in Tallahassee, according to Fox News. "At the end of the day, we should all agree that people deserve informed consent."

Here are five things to know:

1. It's part of broader farm bill: The new law is part of the broader Florida Farm Bill. It also doesn’t outright ban fluoride, which is still allowed in water purchased from private suppliers. While Florida's bill doesn't specifically reference fluoride, it will require the mineral and some other additives be removed from water sources across the state, said bill sponsor Republican state Rep. Kaylee Tuck. “Anything that relates to water quality, removing contaminants, things like that, we're not touching that," Tuck said. "It's anything that has to do with health. So fluoride, vitamins, whatever else it is.”

2. Florida is now the second state to ban the substance from water supplies: Utah became the first state to pass a ban of fluoride last month. Other Republican-led states are following suit in a push led by the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who last month directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make new recommendations on the addition of fluoride to water sources. Kennedy has blamed fluoride in water for multiple health problems, NPR reported.

3. DeSantis’ administration has previously advocated against the fluoridation of community water systems: The administration claimed that high levels of the mineral poses a risk to children’s intellectual development. “With wide access to topical fluoride, there’s no need to medicate entire communities without their consent,” the governor posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. “The Free State of Florida says no to forced medication, and we’re proud to lead the nation on this effort!”

4. What experts say: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that fluoride helps to strengthen teeth and replace minerals lost. “As dentists, we see the direct consequences fluoride removal has on our patients and it’s a real tragedy when policymakers’ decisions hurt vulnerable kids and adults in the long term,” Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association, said in a statement earlier this month. “Blindly calling for a ban on fluoridated water hurts people, costs money, and will ultimately harm our economy.”

5. How local officials are reacting: Some local officials in Florida have already voted to remove the mineral from their community water systems, ahead of state lawmakers' push to ban fluoride. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who said she is “deeply disappointed” by the new law, warns that it will have “long-lasting health consequences, especially for our most vulnerable families.”

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.