A bill introduced by local Congressman Emanuel Cleaver urges public water systems to keep fluoride in their water

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver introduced a dental health bill that’s aimed at encouraging public water systems to keep infusing their water with fluoride.

The bill was recently introduced by Cleaver and backed by a handful of other democratic congressmen and women across the nation. It encourages states to use current peer-reviewed information to make the best health policy decisions for their states.

“Recently, there has been a growing distrust of credible, time-tested, evidence-based science about the safety and need for water fluoridation programs,” Brett Kessler, a dentist and president of the nonprofit American Dental Association, said in a press release. “Now is the time to officially combat this misinformation with the assistance of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to offer independent and objective advice on the actual evidence of fluoride safety and dispel myths that have gained recent popularity.”

By leveraging the expertise of NASEM, the legislation is hoping to reinforce the integrity of public health criteria and ensure that fluoride recommendations remain rooted in the best available evidence. NASEM can reliably dispel misinformation on community water fluoridation programs and offer objective review of evidence to help municipalities and states identify the best path forward for implementing safe and effective community water fluoridation programs, according to the ADA.

“When making policy decisions that impact the health and safety of Americans across the country, not to mention the expenses that come with a potential rise in additional dental care, it is essential that the federal government utilize nonpartisan, independent experts that are following the most scrutinized scientific protocols to obtain their information,” Cleaver said in a statement.  “That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Protect Our TEETH Act to ensure the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is using the best evidence available when updating public health guidance regarding fluoridation.”

Eighty years of community water fluoridation at optimal levels has proven to be safe and effective at reducing tooth decay to improve oral health, especially for those who lack health-care access. The removal or banning of fluoride will cause serious oral health consequences that must be stopped, or America will become sicker and not healthier, states the ADA.

“As the nation’s leading voice for oral health, the ADA is dedicated to improving the health of the public and applauds Rep. Cleaver for taking a stand to ensure decades long public health policy is reviewed with integrity by introducing the TEETH Act,” Kessler stated in a press release. 

Since 1952, the ADA has published Fluoridation Facts to address any concerns about fluoridation and share scientific truths about community water fluoridation. This encyclopedia-like reference tool is available for any technical questions or fact checking and is available in e-book format. For more information on community water fluoridation and ADA advocacy, visit ADA.org/fluoride. 

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