After the former president Asset becoming only the second president to win a second non-consecutive term, his close advisors have already begun planning new initiatives for the new administration.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.who is likely to play a central role in public health, recently wrote on X: “On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to eliminate fluoride from public water.”

“Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, loss of IQ, neurodevelopmental disorders and thyroid diseases,” he continued.

Federal judge orders EPA to further regulate fluoride in drinking water amid concerns about declining IQs in children

Some medical professionals and expert groups have spoken out against RFK’s comments, saying fluoride should always be added to drinking water.

Here’s what you need to know about the controversy.

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“Fluoride is an element that is found in certain places naturally in water and can also be added through drinking water systems to promote strong teeth and prevent tooth decay, especially in children,” the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told Fox News Digital in a press release.

Fluoridated water keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities by 25% in children and adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA sets limits on what is allowed and what is recommended to prevent the negative effects of excess fluoride on the bones and teeth of young children.

The optimal level of fluoride concentration in drinking water is 0.7 milligrams per liter of water, or the equivalent of about three drops in a 55-gallon barrel, according to the CDC.

“Is it safe to drink tap water? »: ask a doctor

About 75% of Americans – or about 209 million people – receive fluoridated water from community water systems, according to the source above.

Fluoride was first added to water in communities in 1945, with Grand Rapids, Michiganbecoming the first city in the world to do so – a move the CDC called one of the greatest public health interventions of the 20th century.

Many communities around the world – more than 240 – choose not to fluoridate their drinking water, according to reports.

A recent review published in Cochrane Reviews found that adding this mineral to water may have only a small benefit against tooth decay, as people now brush with toothpaste containing fluoride.

The study also found some evidence that fluoridated water may increase the risk of dental fluorosis, which can cause white spots or a lacy appearance on teeth.

In 2015, government officials reduced the recommended amount of fluoride in drinking water after some children developed white spots on their teeth, according to a previous report.

Research also shows that exposure to fluoride can harm the fetus during pregnancy.

“Numerous studies have been conducted in North America linking chronic, low prenatal fluoride exposure to poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes in intellectual functioning, attention, executive function and neurological behavior,” said Ashley Malin, PhD, to Fox News Digital in an email. .

Ask a doctor: “Can I be dehydrated even if I’m not thirsty?”

Malin, who studies the potential effects of fluoride on brain development, is an assistant professor of epidemiology at the College of Public Health and Health Professions and the College of Medicine at the University of Florida.

The National Institutes of Health Toxicology Program also found in a study earlier this year that drinking water containing twice the recommended fluoride levels is associated with decline in IQ in children.

But some associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, are concerned about how the study was conducted, saying there was not enough data to determine whether recommended levels of fluoride in water (0.7 milligrams per liter) had a negative effect on children’s IQ.

Although there are anecdotal reports of people claiming that fluoridated water has caused health problems — including bone cancer, arthritis and kidney disease — the research studies supporting these claims are not definitive, according to Healthline.

Some experts say there isn’t enough evidence to change fluoride recommendations.

“The concept of dental remineralization is still at the heart of this fluoride discussion,” Dr. Tien Jiang, assistant professor of oral health policy and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, told Fox News Digital .

“Demineralization (mineral loss) is natural due to our daily habits and food and drink consumption, and fluoride, along with other minerals, helps tip the scales toward remineralization.”

Jiang urges people to be mindful of their home care habits, diet and regular activities. visits to the dentist.

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“For me, the focus is sometimes misplaced,” she said.

“If we all focused on more effective brushing and flossing techniques and eat and drink habits, the majority of dental diseases would be preventable, regardless of fluoride. »

In late September, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen ruled that there was enough evidence of the potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water for the EPA to adopt new regulations, the AP reported.

“EPA is reviewing the district court’s decision,” the agency said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

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“While the decision finds that there is sufficient risk to trigger regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act, it is important to note that the court does not “conclude with certainty that fluoridated water is harmful for health”. public health“, and defers to EPA’s expertise on how to appropriately assess and regulate fluoride in the future,” the agency continued.

Fox News Digital has reached out to representatives for RFK Jr. for comment.

Original article source: RFK Jr. calls for eliminating fluoride from drinking water, sparking debate