The FDA on Friday moved to limit fluoride supplement use to strengthen children's teeth, the latest action by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his deputies against a dental care mainstay. The FDA said the products are no longer recommended for children younger than 3, as well as older kids who don't face serious risks of tooth decay, per the AP. Previously, the products had been prescribed for children as young as 6 months. The action stopped short of FDA statements in May suggesting regulators would seek removal of the products from the market. Instead, the agency sent letters to four companies warning them not to market their products outside the new limits.
Fluoride tablets and lozenges are sometimes recommended for children and teens at increased risk of tooth decay or cavities because of low fluoride in local drinking water. Companies also sell drops for babies. The FDA released a new analysis on Friday, concluding that fluoride supplements have limited benefits for children's teeth and may be linked to emerging concerns, including gut issues, weight gain, and cognition. "For the same reason fluoride may work to kill bacteria on teeth, it may also alter the gut microbiome, which may have broader health implications," the agency said in a statement. It also sent a letter to dentists and other health providers warning about the products' risks.
Those claims are disputed by the American Dental Association, which has said there are no significant health problems associated with fluoride when used at dentist-prescribed levels. The supplements can cause spotting or discoloration of teeth due to the extra fluoride, a downside the FDA also noted. Dentists have warned that restricting fluoride supplements may result in more cavities and dental problems in rural communities, which are less likely to have fluoridated water. Kennedy is also seeking to end the practice of adding fluoride to drinking water in the US.
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Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, per the CDC. In 1962, the agency set guidelines for how much should be added to water. Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer, has called fluoride a "dangerous neurotoxin" tied to a range of health dangers. The FDA regulates most dental products, including fluoride-containing toothpastes, supplements, mouthwashes, and rinses. The agency's actions don't affect toothpastes, mouthwashes, or fluoride treatments used by adults or those offered in dentists' offices.
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