Florida state lawmakers have approved a bill to ban the addition of fluoride to public drinking water, a move that public health experts say could harm dental health across the state.

The bill now heads to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for approval. DeSantis has criticized fluoridation in the past, calling it “forced medication.” The aim of fluoridation is to prevent tooth decay, especially in kids.

If signed, the law would make Florida the second state to ban water fluoridation. A ban in Utah is set to begin May 7, The Washington Post reported.

The fluoride ban is part of a larger farm bill and would prevent local governments from using any additives in drinking water, even if they are necessary to improve quality or meet safety standards.

A group representing dentists sharply criticized the move.

“Water fluoridation has been researched for more than 80 years, and overwhelming, credible scientific evidence consistently indicates that fluoridation of community water supplies is safe and effective at preventing and repairing tooth decay,” Jeff Ottley, president of the Florida Dental Association, said in a statement.

Earlier this month, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would stop the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from recommending fluoride, though HHS later said it would form a task force to study the issue.

Kennedy recently cited an August 2024 federal report that linked high fluoride levels with lower IQs in children.

“The more you get, the stupider you are, and we need smart kids in this country,” he said.

The report emphasized that the findings don’t apply to the low levels of fluoride found in U.S. drinking water, however.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also plans to re-examine the research on fluoride’s potential health risks.

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo became the nation’s first top state health official to publicly oppose fluoride in water. Since then, more than a dozen other Florida communities have ended fluoridation.

Supporters of the ban say it should be about personal choice, The Post reported.

“This is not about fluoride. This is about your liberty,” Republican state Rep. Danny Alvarez told The Post.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat, said the move ignores guidance from dentists and medical experts.

“Ending fluoridation will have long-lasting impact on health—especially for our most vulnerable families,” Cava said in a statement on X.

In Louisiana, a similar bill is gaining support, backed by Republican Surgeon General Ralph Abraham.

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