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By Jordan King
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Utah could be the first state to ban using fluoride in drinking water if it gets signed into law.
Newsweek has contacted Gov. Spencer Cox, via email, for comment.
Why It Matters
Multiple states and local authorities have taken steps to remove fluoride from their water, amid the new Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vocal criticism of water fluoridation.
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While some states have looked at removing the mandatory fluoridation of drinking water and others are considering banning local governments from using "water additives," no state has put an outright ban into effect yet.
What To Know
Last Friday, the Utah State Senate approved Bill H.B. 81, introduced by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, which prohibits adding fluoride to public water systems.
"A person may not add fluoride to water in, or water that will be introduced into, a public water system," the bill says. "A political subdivision may not enact or enforce an ordinance that requires or permits the addition of fluoride to water in, or water that will be introduced into, a public water system."
The bill still needs to be signed by Gov. Spencer Cox for his approval—he has not yet made any public comment on whether he supports the ban.
Around 44 percent of Utah residents supplied with public drinking water get fluoridated water, as of 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Comparatively, Florida, which is also taking steps to remove fluoride from water, serves 78 percent of its population with fluoridated water.
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Why Is Fluoride Used in Tap Water?
Fluoride is a mineral that helps strengthen tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acid attacks from plaque, bacteria and sugars, according to the American Dental Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other health bodies.
The mineral is found naturally in groundwater, freshwater and saltwater, as well as foods and soils. Community water fluoridation adjusts the amount of fluoride in drinking water to a level that will prevent tooth decay.
The fluoridation of U.S. water began in 1945, but recommended levels have since been lowered because of potential health risks.
In September 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency was ordered to address how fluoride in water could risk children's intellectual development.
What People Are Saying
Val Radmall, executive director of the Utah Dental Association, told the Associated Press that when he worked in a non-fluoridated community for three decades, the effects showed.
"I'd have a patient come in without cavities or anything else like that, and I'd say, 'You didn't grow up here. Where did you grow up?' ... because everybody here has lots of cavities," Radmall said.
Referencing the fact that the bill allows for pharmacists to prescribe fluoride, Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, said: "This bill does not prohibit anybody from taking fluoride in whatever fashion they want. It just disallows people who do not want fluoride from having to consume fluoride in their water."
Last November, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on X: "Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease."
What Happens Next
If Cox signs the bill into law, the measure would go into effect on May 7.
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