The Biden administration is appealing a court ruling that challenges water fluoridation in the United States. Even though public health experts hail fluoride as a milestone in dental health, opponents have claimed it to pose risks and fueled a contentious debate.
As the deadline looms, the Biden administration is getting ready to make an eleventh-hour appeal to defend water fluoridation: a practice hailed as a public health triumph, yet criticized by some as a health hazard.
The appeal, filed Friday in a San Francisco federal court, challenges a 2024 ruling by District Court Judge Edward Chen. Though the ruling stopped short of ordering a fluoride ban, it paved the way for the Environmental Protection Agency to take decisive action against the practice.
Fluoride opponents, as represented by organizations such as the Fluoride Action Network, believe that the chemical is dangerous. They cite research indicating that excessive levels of fluoride have been linked to developmental problems, including decreased IQ in children.
They claim that current dental practices, such as toothpaste, are enough to prevent cavities and that fluoridation is unnecessary.
Public health experts disagree. The American Dental Association defends water fluoridation as a safe, cost-effective measure that prevents cavities across populations.
They point to evidence from cities like Calgary, Canada, where cavity rates soared after fluoride was removed, prompting officials to reintroduce it.
The debate is sharply divided as activists urge the U.S. to follow Europe’s lead in banning fluoride from public water. The Biden administration’s appeal signals its commitment to scientific research and the broader health benefits of fluoridation, even as the issue sparks nationwide controversy.
As the courts weigh in, the future of water fluoridation in America hangs in the balance.
