A nationwide ban on adding fluoride to public drinking water could saddle US families with billions in dental bills and result in millions of additional cavities, according to a new study published in JAMA Health Forum. Researchers modeled two scenarios: one in which all public water systems contain optimal fluoride levels, and another where fluoride is completely eliminated. Their projections suggest a ban would result in 25.4 million more cavities among children over the next five years—roughly a decayed tooth for every 1 in 3 kids. Extending the forecast to 10 years, that number climbs to 53.8 million extra cavities.
The financial impact would be steep, with filling these cavities estimated to cost $9.8 billion in five years and $19.4 billion over a decade. Study co-author Dr. Lisa Simon notes these figures may understate the total cost, as they don't account for factors like hospital visits or parents missing work. The issue is gaining traction, as Utah and Florida have already banned fluoride in public water, and similar moves are being considered in other states following Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s appointment as head of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Under Kennedy, the CDC's oral health division—which promotes the benefits of fluoride—has been significantly reduced. Supporters of fluoridation, including Dr. Tom Reid of the Wisconsin Dental Association, say decades of data confirm its effectiveness in preventing tooth decay. The new research "really helps us sort out what the course of action would be if communities choose to stop fluoridation, and it informs the calculation of the impact," Mark Moss, an East Carolina University dental epidemiologist who wasn't involved with the study, tells STAT. "We know a lot about the benefits of fluoride, and this paper really brings that home." (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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