How RFK Jr-backed plan has led to health crisis... and millions of Americans are now at risk
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At least 25 million Americans live in dental deserts - areas where dentists are scarce and residents face skyrocketing rates of tooth decay, emergency surgeries, and chronic health problems.
Dentists warn these issues will only worsen with the removal of fluoride from drinking water, which has reduced tooth decay and cavities for over 80 years.
Roughly 230 counties across the US lack a sufficient number of dentists to cater to the number of people living there, and most have removed or are considering removing fluoride from their water.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the current head of the Department of Health and Human Services, has often promoted unproven claims that the common cavity preventative is dangerous.
The controversy surrounding fluoride stems from a meta-analysis of dozens of studies showing children exposed to higher fluoride levels had lower IQ scores compared to those with lower exposure levels.
Evidence suggests fluoride exposure above 1.5 ppm may slightly affect IQ, but water fluoridation in most of the US ranges from 0.7 to 1.2 ppm, with no direct link to IQ loss at these levels.
Dr. Chelsea Perry, a Massachusetts dentist, told DailyMail.com US water fluoridation is extremely safe.
She explained that studies linking fluoride to lower IQs involve much higher levels than those typically found in regulated US water, such as in areas with excessive natural fluoride like Colorado Springs, where levels are reduced to a safe range by the EPA, varying from 0.14 ppm to 1.30 ppm.
RFK Jr has promoted unproven claims about fluoride, despite eight decades of evidence showing it reduces dental decay. Over a dozen states are considering removing it from their water supplies
Dentists in rural areas with a lack of enough dentists and fluoridated water regularly perform extractions, crowns, and spacers—often under general anesthesia—on children as young as five, many of whom present with severe tooth decay (stock image)
She said: ‘Fluoridation definitely helps as it's one of the most effective public health tools we have for reducing cavities, especially in communities with limited access to dental care.'
Around 63 percent of Americans drink fluoridated water from community water systems.
Rural states like Alaska, Montana, Nevada, and North Dakota, which have high uninsured rates, have more dental deserts than East Coast states.
On average, dental deserts have one dentist for about 3,800 people, compared to one per 1,470 in urban areas.
A Kaiser Health News investigation found, based on Harvard and CDC data, found that 230 rural counties, mainly in the Midwest and South (such as Texas, Kansas, and Missouri), face a double burden of too few dentists and no fluoride in water.
Dr Jessica Robertson, a pediatric dentist in rural Arizona, told DailyMail.com that a lack of added fluoride in the water supply in the state has wreaked havoc among her patients.
Practicing in Cottonwood, Lakeside, and Flagstaff, where natural fluoride levels are far below the CDC's recommended 0.7 ppm, she frequently performs extractions, crowns, and spacers—often under general anesthesia—on children as young as five, many with severe decay.
Most people in dental deserts do not have private insurance. Around 2.5 million of them are enrolled in Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the poor and disabled.
The map shows dental deserts by county. Rural states in the Rocky Mountains and the West, which also have a high proportion of uninsured people, such as Alaska, Montana, Nevada, and North Dakota, tend to contain more dental deserts, where most East Coast states do not
Most dentists don't accept Medicaid because the government reimburses them far less than private insurance, leaving millions to pay for dental care out of pocket.
A tooth extraction can cost around $200 without insurance. A routine cleaning costs about the same. Fillings can run from about $50 to $250, and a root canal costs anywhere from $700 to $1,500 out of pocket.
Researchers at the Colorado School of Public Health mapped out the cost benefits of fluoridated water nationwide, particularly to those without insurance.
In 2013, over 211 million people in the US had access to fluoridated water, saving an estimated $32.19 per person in cavity prevention.
After accounting for the $324 million cost of fluoridation, net savings totaled $6.5 billion, yielding a $20 return for every $1 spent on water fluoridation.
Dr Suparna Mahalaha, a dentist providing care to seniors in Northeast Ohio’s dental deserts, told DailyMail.com that while fluoridation is 'not a replacement for dental care,' it is 'a critical public health measure that acts as a stopgap to reduce decay and prevent more serious problems down the road.’
And a wealth of studies consistently report that fluoridated water reduces the risk of tooth decay and cavities.
Dr. Chelsea Perry, a Massachusetts dentist, told DailyMail.com that U.S. water fluoridation is overwhelmingly safe
In 1956, researchers from Newburgh, New York, tracked the outcome of adding fluoride to its water supply 10 years prior, the second city in the nation to do so (after Grand Rapids, Michigan).
Children with lifelong access to fluoridated water had 58 percent less tooth decay than those from nearby Kingston, NY, which had no fluoride added to its water.
Even older children in Newburgh who did not grow up with fluoride still had 41 to 52 percent fewer cavities.
More recently, Alaska's capital city, Juneau, chose to remove fluoride from its water in 2007. University of Alaska researchers have pointed to the removal’s devastating effects.
In Juneau, children under seven born after fluoride was removed had 33 percent more cavity-related procedures, with those born after the cessation needing the most dental care and incurring the highest costs, all paid for by taxpayers due to the study's focus on Medicaid patients.
But now, states are looking to move away from fluoride. Utah recently ruled that it would strip fluoride from its state's drinking water systems following concerns raised by RFK Jr.
Meanwhile, the Florida legislature recently approved a measure that would prevent local governments from adding fluoride to water. Cities across Florida have already done this.
RFK Jr's goal at HHS is to cut rates of chronic diseases. But dentists say removing a safeguard against tooth decay runs counter to that goal, as gum disease is linked to heart disease, respiratory diseases, osteoporosis, and pregnancy complications
Dr Mahalaha added: ‘The overwhelming body of scientific evidence supports fluoridation as safe in appropriate concentrations and an effective way to prevent tooth decay.
‘Claims that it lowers IQ are based on studies with significant limitations and are not backed by major health organizations like the CDC, the American Dental Association, or the World Health Organization.’
Dr. Suparna Mahalaha said that while fluoridation isn't a substitute for dental care, it is a vital public health measure to prevent serious issues later
Poor oral health can lead to tooth decay, cavities, and abscesses, and over time, contribute to chronic health conditions.
Gum disease, which causes bleeding and allows bacteria to inflame the gums, can spread to the bloodstream, potentially affecting a pregnant woman’s fetus and leading to premature labor or low birth weight.
It is also linked to heart disease, as the bacteria can target the heart, hardening arteries, thickening arterial walls, and promoting blood clots.
‘This is where the disconnect becomes really clear,’ Dr Perry said. ‘Poor oral health doesn't just stay in your mouth.’
She added: ‘So when this administration sets goals to reduce chronic disease, but doesn't address oral health access, it's missing a major piece of the puzzle.
‘You cannot fully tackle chronic disease if you're ignoring the role of the mouth in the body.’
With public skepticism of fluoride mounting to a historic high, dentists fear that people already lacking adequate dental care will be the most harmed.
‘I'm deeply concerned that the populations living in dental deserts are going to fall even further behind and run into even more health issues than those with access to proper dental care,’ Dr Perry said.
Dr Mahalaha added: ‘Removing fluoride would be a step backward, particularly for the millions already living in dental deserts.’
Daily Mail
