Utah bans fluoride in drinking water, becoming first US state to do so
Utah has become the first US state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, over opposition from dentists and national health organisations who warn the move will lead to medical problems and disproportionately affect low-income communities.
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Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed legislation on Thursday that bars cities and communities from deciding whether to add the mineral to their water systems.
Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Utah lawmakers who pushed for a ban said putting fluoride in water was too expensive. Cox, who grew up and raised his own children in a community without fluoridated water, compared it recently to being 'medicated' by the government.
The ban, which is effective May 7, comes weeks after US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jnr, who has expressed scepticism about water fluoridation, was sworn into office.
Robert F. Kennedy Jnr testifies before a Senate confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in January. Photo: Reuters
The American Dental Association sharply criticised Cox and Utah lawmakers, saying the ban showed 'wanton disregard for the oral health and well-being of their constituents'. The group said that cavities are the most common chronic childhood disease.
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