
Fluoride exposure linked to ‘detrimental effects' on health of pregnant women, infants
Fluoride has long been used as a dental health tool as a means of preventing cavities and fighting tooth decay — but now a new meta-analysis suggests it could have "detrimental effects" on the health of pregnant women and infants.
Researchers analyzed various studies, concluding that exposure to fluoride "offers little benefit to the fetus and young infant."
Systemic fluoride exposure can have a harmful impact on bone strength, thyroid function and cognitive development, according to the findings, which were published in the Annual Review of Public Health.
"Community-wide administration of systemic fluoride may pose an unfavorable risk–benefit ratio for the pregnant woman, fetus and infant," reads the meta-analysis.
Philippe Grandjean, a researcher on the study and professor of environmental medicine at the University of Southern Denmark, told Fox News Digital that "fluoride is toxic to early brain development."
"It is not dependent on the source of the fluoride," Grandjean. "In addition to fluoridated drinking water, we need to limit ingestion of fluoridated toothpaste, which by itself is great for dental health, but don't swallow it."
He recommended avoiding consumption of certain kinds of black tea – "especially those that are grown in fluoride-rich soils (e.g., East Africa and certain parts of China and India)."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear.
The review noted that with growing access to fluoride over the years, fluoride's beneficial effect is predominantly topical, citing that there is no need for widespread community fluoridation.
During an appearance last week on "The Story With Martha MacCallum." HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that "exposure to fluoride is dose-related."
"In other words, the more fluoride you get, the lower your IQ is going to be … the benefits of fluoride are topical," Kennedy added.
"It was originally thought that when we put it in the water back in the 1940s that they were systemic," he went on. "In other words, if you drank it, it would do something to your body to prevent growth of cavities. But that's not how it works."
The HHS secretary added that fluoride is associated with "with extreme losses in bone density."
More than 200 million Americans, or about 75% of the population, currently drink fluoridated water.
"The entire benefit of it comes from topical application ... there's really no reason to have it in the water supply in this era where we have toothpaste and mouthwashes," Kennedy concluded.
Kennedy said he plans to tell the CDC to stop recommending the addition of fluoride to drinking water, the Associated Press reported.
Utah recently became the first state to pass legislation banning fluoride in public drinking water.
Governor Spencer Cox signed the bill into law last month, a move that was applauded by those supporting the "Make America Healthy Again" movement.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
Lawmakers in other states, including Ohio, South Carolina and Florida, have also submitted proposals to restrict local governments or water system operators from adding fluoride to water.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Medscape
2 hours ago
- Medscape
CVD Mortality Higher in Women With Inflammatory Diseases
Although cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality decreased significantly from 1999 to 2020 in both men and women with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), women consistently had higher rates of CVD-related mortality than men over the 22-year period. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed CDC Multiple Cause of Death files from 1999 to 2020 to assess the sex differences in CVD-related mortality in patients with IMIDs. They identified CVD-related deaths with underlying IMIDs in the United States using diagnostic codes. IMIDs such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic sclerosis were analyzed. The analysis included 281,355 IMID-related deaths and 127,149 CVD-related deaths over a period of 22 years. Annual crude and adjusted death rates were estimated. TAKEAWAY: Age-adjusted CVD-related mortality for women with IMIDs declined from 3.3 per 100,000 in 1999 to 1.4 per 100,000 in 2020, whereas the rate in men with IMIDs declined from 2.3 to 1.1 per 100,000 ( P < .01). < .01). However, women had higher mortality than men throughout the study duration (mortality rate ratio, 1.5; P < .01). < .01). Cerebrovascular disease and ischemic heart disease were major causes of death, with women more affected than men; women experienced mortality from arrhythmia and cardiac arrest at more than twice the rate of men. Among patients with IMIDs, women with rheumatoid arthritis had disproportionately higher crude CVD-related mortality than men with rheumatoid arthritis. IN PRACTICE: 'Addressing these risks requires increasing awareness of atypical cardiovascular symptoms in females with IMIDs, enhancing early detection through advanced imaging, and ensuring equitable access to therapies like biologics,' the study authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Issam Motairek, MD, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland. It was published online on May 5, 2025, in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes . LIMITATIONS: The potential inaccuracies in the codes for identifying the cause of death may have misclassified IMIDs or CVD-related causes. The aggregate data structure prevented the analyses of individual-level factors such as severity of disease or treatments. Less common IMIDs were excluded, which may have underestimated their contribution to CVD. DISCLOSURES: This study received no specific funding. The authors reported having no conflicts of interest.


Business Journals
3 hours ago
- Business Journals
Employers: Use these guidelines to create benefits for the modern workforce
It's impossible to forget the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reshaped how we live and work, forcing companies to rapidly adapt to remote models and prioritize health and safety in new ways. The crisis made one thing clear for employers: Affordable, meaningful health care benefits are vital — not only for supporting employees but also for ensuring long-term business stability. In the post-pandemic workplace, high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) continue to present challenges, especially for hourly and lower-wage workers. Recruiting and retaining top talent now hinges on offering benefits that go beyond basic coverage — they must be affordable, accessible and relevant. Employers are shifting from cutting costs to investing in benefits that support the whole person. A new framework: Mind, body, money To meet the demands of today's workforce, I use a simple yet powerful framework to guide benefits strategy: Mind, body and money. These three pillars reflect the needs of employees and can help employers design plans that truly make a difference. 1. Mind: Prioritizing mental health Mental health challenges spiked during the pandemic, and they haven't gone away. Today, one in five adults report struggling with mental health, while nearly a third say they don't have a primary care provider (PCP), leading to overall poor well-being. Telehealth has provided a lifeline, but access to in-network mental health providers remains limited. The need for robust mental health support has never been greater, and addressing it must be a priority. 2. Body: Access and prevention Roughly a third of Americans lack a primary care provider (PCP), leading many to rely on urgent care instead. This not only drives up claim volume and employer costs but also increases the risk of chronic conditions going undetected. Consider this: nearly 40% of Americans are pre-diabetic, and managing diabetes can cost $8,000-$10,000 per person annually. For an employer with 50 employees, that could mean $200,000 in preventable expenses. It's critical to ensure employees have access to high-quality preventive care at a price they can afford. Prevention isn't just a health strategy — it's a financial one. 3. Money: Real incentives that work A recent survey by Imagine360 found that 25% of employees would accept a pay cut in exchange for better benefits. That's a powerful signal. But incentives must go beyond surface-level perks like gym memberships. Instead, they should encourage real engagement with health care — rewarding participation in preventive care, screenings and chronic condition management. At the same time, health care costs are climbing fast — especially when it comes to prescriptions. GLP-1 medications are up 200%-300% year over year, prompting employers to reassess pharmacy strategies. Real savings start with aligning incentives to promote smart utilization. The retirement factor Older employees are increasingly delaying retirement — not because they want to, but because they can't afford to stop working. 28% regularly find themselves out of money before payday arrives. 60% of full-time employees are stressed about finances. 56% of financially stressed employees spend three or more hours a week thinking about finances. Consultants must help employers address this early with smart retirement planning tools like 401(k) plans and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Financial wellness isn't a separate issue — it's deeply tied to mental and physical health. Supporting employees across all three areas helps ensure smoother, more cost-effective transitions into retirement. Implementing reference-based pricing, a sustainable cost strategy Reference-Based Pricing (RBP) has evolved significantly over the years. What was once viewed as a heavy lift for companies and employees is now gaining momentum as a sustainable solution to out-of-control health care costs, and a great experience for employees. Like HSAs, RBP has continued to garner more adoption — and it's delivering real results. With rising health care 'tariffs,' more employers are turning to RBP to regain control. For example, a nursing home with 800-900 employees implemented RBP and saw health care costs drop by 40%. Four years later, they've maintained those savings, and employees have embraced the model.* RBP is particularly effective for companies with high turnover or low plan engagement. It allows employers to lower deductibles and build a more budget-neutral benefits strategy. While switching any health plan carrier requires change management, the right consultants can guide the process and help ensure both employer and employee success. What consultants must do now It's time for consultants to step up. That means vetting vendors rigorously and recommending only those that align with the employer's core goals — whether it's improving retention, reducing costs or boosting care quality. Employees care deeply about their take-home pay and their health. If a benefit strategy isn't working for them, they'll leave. Strong benefits aren't nice to have — they're a competitive advantage and a critical part of your business strategy. Want to talk about building a smarter benefits strategy that works for your team and your budget? Connect with me on LinkedIn.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
US Health Secretary Kennedy guts vaccine advisory committee
By Ahmed Aboulenein, Michael Erman and Julie Steenhuysen WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired all 17 members of a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel of vaccine experts and is in the process of replacing them, his department said on Monday, drawing protest from many vaccine scientists. The move is the most far-reaching in a series of actions by Kennedy, a long-time vaccine skeptic, to reshape U.S. regulation of vaccines, food and medicine. Scientists and experts said the changes to the vaccine panel, which recommends how vaccines are used and by whom, would undermine public confidence in health agencies. Kennedy promised the move would raise public confidence. "Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda," Kennedy said in a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has for years sown doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, but he pledged to maintain the country's existing vaccine standards to secure his appointment in President Donald Trump's administration. The Food and Drug Administration, which is overseen by Kennedy's department, has approved a number of vaccines during his tenure despite concerns over his stances. Even so, at least one senior Republican member of Congress expressed doubts about the changes in the panel. Kennedy said the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is rife with conflicts and has never turned down a vaccine, even though the decision to approve vaccines rests with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The CDC panel provides guidance to the CDC on which groups of people would most benefit from an already-approved vaccine. "That's a tragedy," said former FDA Chief Scientist Jesse Goodman. "This is a highly professional group of scientists and physicians and others... It's the kind of political meddling that will reduce confidence rather than increase confidence." The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America called Kennedy's action concerning for public health. "Upending the ACIP membership increases uncertainty and vaccine skepticism, undermining the health gains achieved through vaccination," the industry body said in a statement late on Monday. Shares of vaccine makers Moderna and U.S.-listed shares of BioNTech fell more than 1%, while Pfizer was down marginally in extended trading on Monday. Kennedy said most panel members receive funding from drugmakers although members are required to declare any potential or perceived conflicts of interest that arise in the course of their tenure and any relevant business interests, positions of authority or other connections with organizations relevant to the committee's work. Kennedy and HHS provided no specific evidence of industry conflicts of interest among departing ACIP members. The CDC's web page for conflicts of interest, last updated in March, showed that one current member had recused herself from votes on a handful of vaccines because she had worked on clinical trials for their manufacturers. BIDEN APPOINTEES All 17 ACIP members were appointed under former President Joe Biden's administration, including 13 in 2024, HHS said. Without their removal, Trump's administration would not have been able to choose a majority of the committee until 2028. "This is not a political committee, it's never been partisan," said Dorit Reiss, a vaccine law expert at UC Law San Francisco. "It's an expert committee. Presidents have never been involved in ACIP membership." The decision drew criticism from Democrats in Congress, and one key Republican expressed concern. "Of course, now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion," said Republican U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy in a post on X. "I've just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I'll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case." Cassidy, a doctor from Louisiana who had expressed wariness about Kennedy's anti-vaccine views before clearing the path for him to become the nation's top health official, said at the time he had received assurances Kennedy would protect existing vaccination programs. The CDC panel will convene its next meeting June 25-27 at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, the department said. Vetting new panel members typically takes months, said one expert with close ties to the committee, who expressed doubts the newly appointed panel would be able to meet on time unless Kennedy and his team "have been working in the shadows" to onboard them months ahead of the announcement. Kennedy has drawn condemnation from health officials for his vaccine policies including what they say is a weak endorsement of the measles shots during an outbreak that has infected more than 1,000 mostly unvaccinated people and killed three. He announced last month the government was dropping its recommendation that healthy children and pregnant women should receive COVID shots, sidestepping the typical process. Traditionally, once the FDA approves vaccines for sale to the public, ACIP's role is to review data in a public meeting and vote on vaccine recommendations, which are then sent to the CDC director to sign off. The Affordable Care Act generally requires insurers to cover vaccines that are listed on the CDC vaccine schedules for adults and children. The recommendations also determine which vaccines the CDC's Vaccines for Children program will provide free of charge to those without insurance.