Florida has become the second state to ban fluoride in public water, according to a New York Times report.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law on Thursday. The move aligns with Republican claims that adding the mineral to water is an example of government overreach.
Certain areas of the Sunshine State have already banned fluoride in their drinking water.
Ohio, Texas, as well as local municipalities are also debating the fluoridation of their water.
According to a 2022 CDC study, 63% of Americans have fluorinated water, but that number is now declining.
Proponents of fluoride in water point to studies which show “a clear correlation between fluoridated drinking water and improved oral health,” according to the Times.
Dentists and dental advocacy groups also claim it strengthens teeth and causes people to have fewer cavities when they intake the mineral.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called the benefits of fluoridation one of the “10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.”
However, many members of the GOP, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have publicly questioned fluoridation’s safety.
More recently, Kennedy announced plans to tell the CDC to stop recommending fluoridation to communities.
Head of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin, has also pointed to lowering the recommended amount of fluoride in drinking water. The Times claims the change could come “after re-examining research on potential health risks.”
For years, federal safety guidelines have lowered the maximum amount of fluoride that should be placed in public water.
According to The Associated Press, studies have shown that excess fluoride intake has been associated with streaking or spots on teeth. There is also a link between excess fluoride and brain development.
Several European countries have also banned fluoride in water.
The statewide ban in Florida will take place on July 1.
