Does your county put fluoride in its water? Let's find out.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urges states to remove fluoride in public water supply despite warnings from dentists. Some DMV residents may be wondering, 'Does my county even put fluoride in its water?'
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A good portion of DMV counties and localities were already adding fluoride in the water supply, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report in 2024. While some larger counties like Fairfax County, do add the dentist-recommended mineral, others do not.
Check if your county puts fluoride in the water supply
In Prince George's County, Rivers Edge subdivision, Bexley Park and Prince George's Woods Estates are among those that don't manually add the mineral. Other sites in Loudon County, Prince William County and Spotsylvania have scattered spots where fluoride is not used.
Meanwhile, notable areas like Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County does include it.
States like Florida and Utah have already removed the mineral from the state's public water supply, receiving praise from RFK.
Fluoride is a mineral that is naturally present in many foods as well as dietary supplements. The mineral is often added to public water supplies as it has been proven to help reduce tooth decay and stimulate new bone formation, (NIH).
Some toothpaste and dental products also contain the ingredient in order to reduce cavities.
Among adults, about 50% of fluoride is retained, with nearly all of it being stored in bones and teeth, according to NIH. Young children retain about 80% of fluoride.
In general, most people get enough fluoride from what they drink, eat and their dental products.
Surveys show that children and teenagers who drink fluoridated water have fewer cavities, according to NIH. Also, adults who drink fluoridated water have fewer decayed and filled teeth and lose fewer teeth.
Woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after using tap water to clear sinuses: CDC
There is still controversy regarding possible negative health effects — a main arguing point for RFK Jr.'s reasoning for wanting it gone.
While most studies have not found a strong link to cancer, a 1990 study by the U.S. National Toxicology Program found possible evidence of bone cancer risk in fluoridated drinking water in male rats. This was based on a higher-than-expected number of osteosarcomas. Female rats and both male and female mice were not impacted.
Osteosarcoma is already a rare cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. In order to be studied, research was conducted before and after the fluoridation of the water supply. However, since so many other factors can play a part in cancer rates, there's no consistent data to support one way or the other.
Infants and children can develop a condition called dental fluorosis if they consume too much fluoride, although this is rare and 'not caused by standard amounts of fluoride in public tap water,' according to the NIH.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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