Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has touted his plan to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA), which includes stances backed by questionable scientific evidence. He has spoken out against vaccines, called on states to ban fluoride, and made ableist comments about autism. Just last week, he actually let it slip that he’s well aware that at least one of those initiatives could have some terrible consequences.
On Fox’s The Faulkner Focus, news anchor Harris Faulkner asked RFK, Jr. about his stance on removing fluoride from drinking water. In particular, she questioned him about dentists’ concerns that children from low-income families may not be able to get the preventative care that they’d need to protect them from tooth decay.
Kennedy replied, “You know, it is an issue. It’s a balance. You’re gonna see probably slightly more cavities.”
The secretary went on to say, “Although in Europe, where they banned fluoride, they did not see an uptick in cavities. The issue is, parents need to decide because the science is very clear on fluoride. The National Toxicity Program issued a report…that said there’s a direct inverse correlation between the amount of fluoride in your water and loss of IQ.”
The American Dental Association (ADA) released a statement in April 2025, saying that the ADA “believes that good oral health depends on proper diet, nutrition, oral hygiene, and optimally fluoridated water. Eighty years of community water fluoridation at optimal levels has proven to be safe and effective at reducing tooth decay to improve oral health.”
And not all European countries have banned fluoride in their drinking water. In May 2025, the BBC reported that some areas have naturally occurring fluoride in their water, while others choose to fluoridate their milk, salt, or bottled water.
In addition, the National Toxicology Program’s study that the secretary cited specifically says that “lower IQ in children” can occur with the consumption of water containing “more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter,” which is twice the CDC-recommended saturation of 0.7 milligrams per liter. They added directly, “It is important to note that there were insufficient data to determine if the low fluoride level of 0.7 mg/L currently recommended for U.S. community water supplies has a negative effect on children’s IQ.”
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Historically, there are cities in the US and internationally that have removed fluoride from their water supply and seen increased cavities as a result. The New York Times reported that Calgary, in Alberta, Canada, is reintroducing fluoride into its water supply after 10 years, starting just this week. They noted that “The Alberta Children’s Hospital saw a stark increase in the number of children from Calgary who needed antibiotics to treat dental infections after fluoride was removed from the drinking water.”
Unsurprisingly, people on Reddit had some thoughts on the secretary’s comments. “Could we, instead, maybe focus on banning lead in our drinking water? We’ll tell him it’s to reduce obesity.”
“So, honestly asking here…he says it’s a balance…so what are we gaining for the increase in dental costs to the tune of $300/year average for all Americans?”
“I used to be a dental hygienist. All this will do is cause people who have no money to now have to spend it on dental, but they can’t. They won’t because they can’t. Increasing poverty. I hate this MF.”
“For the kids and adults who don’t have access to dental care for whatever reason, this is going to be devastating. It hurts nothing and helps those who need it most.”
“How does having more cavities in children’s mouths make us great and healthy again?”
The conversation continued over on Twitter (X), with one user saying, “More cavities for kids in families who can’t afford dental care.”
“Gonna see slightly more cavities, but luckily in exchange for that we’re going to get absolutely no benefits whatsoever so I guess it’s a fair tradeoff,” said another.
And finally, “This isn’t public health. It’s policy by privilege.”
If you’d like to watch the full clip, you can do so below. And I’d love to know: Are you concerned about the levels of fluoride in Americans’ drinking water, or do you think it should be left as-is? Let us know in the comments.
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