The Minnesota Dental Association has voiced its continuing support for water fluoridation amid national debate about the practice's impact on patient health.
Four notes:
1. A recent National Toxicology Program report found that drinking water with more than double the recommended limit of fluoride was associated with lower IQ levels in children. Following the report's release, several healthcare organizations spoke out in support of water fluoridation, citing evidence that the U.S. Public Health Service's current recommended levels are safe and effective at reducing the risk of tooth decay.
2. A federal judge also ruled in September that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must address the impact fluoride has on drinking water. Several dental organizations, including the American Dental Association, reiterated their support for current fluoride recommendations after the ruling.
3. Robert Kennedy Jr., a potential public health pick for President-elect Donald Trump's second term, said earlier this month that Mr. Trump would aim to remove fluoride from public water sources once he is in office.
4. The Minnesota Dental Association cited decades of scientific research and endorsements from other healthcare organizations to back up its support for water fluoridation, calling it "a critical measure in combating dental disease."