Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has urged communities across the state to stop adding fluoride to drinking water, a practice endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Dental Association as a key public health measure to prevent tooth decay.
“It is public health malpractice with the information we have now to continue adding fluoride to water in Florida,” Ladapo said during a press conference in Polk County.
Ladapo expressed concerns about potential neuropsychiatric risks associated with fluoride exposure, citing links to lower IQ, behavioral issues and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
However, many in the dental field disagree. Fluoridation, the process of adjusting fluoride levels in drinking water to prevent cavities, has long been recognized as safe and effective.
“It’s sort of an enamel booster,” said Natacha Overchuck, owner of the Dental Assistant Pioneer Academy in Orlando. “It’s very safe, and we’ve been using it since the beginning of time. It’s also improved over a long period of time.”
Overchuck acknowledged that some patients prefer to avoid fluoride, as dental offices often give individuals the choice to opt out of fluoride treatments. However, she noted that water fluoridation provides widespread benefits but eliminates personal choice.
“When you put it in water, everyone has access to it, and it kind of takes that choice away from them,” she said.
The ADA strongly opposed Ladapo’s statements, calling them “disheartening” and labeling his recommendations as “dangerous for the health of all Floridians.”
Community water fluoridation has been supported by leading health organizations for decades, but Ladapo’s remarks have reignited debates about the practice and whether it should continue in Florida.