HOUSTON — Why has the nomination of Robert Kennedy Jr. as President-elect Trump's head of Health and Human Services sparked a new debate about fluoride in drinking water?
RFK Jr. has said he will advise local water systems to remove fluoride from public drinking water. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 63 percent of Americans have fluoridated water coming from their taps.
Local municipalities decide whether or not to add fluoride to the water supply. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency only mandates a limit on how much can be added.
So what is fluoride? It is a naturally occurring mineral that's already found in some water supplies. That’s actually how we discovered it helped teeth. Dentists noticed that people living in areas with fluoride in the water had less tooth decay and better enamel.
In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan became the first city in the world to add fluoride to its water supply. Research shows the rate of cavities in children there dropped by more than 60 percent.
The debate over fluoride stems from what happens when there is too much in the water. A recent scientific paper found a possible link between high fluoride levels and lower IQs in children. But those fluoride levels were double what is recommended by the EPA.
Experts say more research is needed and they warn that facts, not conspiracy theories should inform the debate.