Researchers projected 53.8 million cavities in a decade and estimated treatment would cost $19.4 billion.
Ending water fluoridation in the U.S. could cause over 25 million new cavities in children within five years, a new study from JAMA Health Forum warns.
Researchers projected 53.8 million cavities in a decade and estimated treatment would cost $19.4 billion. “It doesn’t take into account related issues,” said study author Dr. Lisa Simon, “like whether a child has to go under general anesthesia … or if parents have to miss work.”
The analysis used CDC data from 8,484 children. Dr. Tom Reid, president of the Wisconsin Dental Association, said, “Proper dosing of community water fluoridation prevents cavities.”
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called fluoride “industrial waste” and halted CDC’s fluoridation recommendations. Critics cite a 2024 toxicology report linking high fluoride levels to reduced IQs, though the new study didn’t assess cognitive impacts. It did note fluorosis cases would drop, though the condition is harmless.
HHS has not commented on the findings.
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