FDA moves to ban children's fluoride supplements amid growing health concerns
By isabelle // 2025-05-15
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  • The FDA plans to remove ingestible fluoride products for children by October 31, citing concerns about gut health disruption and potential IQ reduction.
  • FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary recommends preventing cavities through sugar reduction and dental hygiene rather than altering a child's microbiome with fluoride.
  • Recent studies show a "statistically significant association" between fluoride exposure and lower IQ scores in children, though the American Dental Association disputes these findings.
  • The decision aligns with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s broader fluoride reassessment, following Utah's ban on fluoridated water and similar proposals in other states.
  • The Department of Health and Human Services will provide alternative guidance for children's dental health that doesn't compromise gut health.
The Food and Drug Administration announced plans Monday to remove ingestible fluoride prescription drugs for children from the market, citing growing evidence that these supplements may disrupt gut health and potentially lower IQ scores. The decision marks a significant shift in the government's approach to fluoride, long promoted for cavity prevention but increasingly scrutinized for health effects when ingested. "The best way to prevent cavities in children is by avoiding excessive sugar intake and good dental hygiene, not by altering a child's microbiome. For the same reason that fluoride may kill bacteria on teeth, it may also kill intestinal bacteria important for a child's health," FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said in a statement. The products in question, typically prescribed as tablets or lozenges for children deemed at high risk for cavities or living in areas with low fluoride in drinking water, would be phased out following a safety review scheduled for completion by October 31. The announcement represents the latest development in a broader reassessment of fluoride safety led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has described fluoride as "industrial waste" and raised concerns about its neurotoxic properties. "Ending the use of ingestible fluoride is long overdue," Kennedy said in a statement.

Growing evidence of health risks

Recent scientific research has fueled concerns about fluoride's impact on children's development. In January, scientists at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences published findings in JAMA Pediatrics showing a "statistically significant association" between higher fluoride exposure and lower children's IQ scores. The federal National Toxicology Program concluded with "moderate confidence" that higher levels of fluoride are associated with lower IQ in children. Researchers reported in March that multiple studies have found gut microbiota was negatively impacted in people who ingested high amounts of fluoride, a disruption that can lead to serious health problems, including cancer. The American Dental Association has pushed back against these concerns, noting that studies primarily focused on countries with far higher levels of fluoride than what is considered safe in the United States.

Broader fluoride controversy

The FDA's action comes amid increasing scrutiny of fluoride use in the United States. Earlier this year, Utah became the first state to outlaw the addition of fluoride to public drinking water, despite warnings from dental professionals. Similar anti-fluoridation bills have been introduced in North Dakota, Tennessee, and Montana. Since 2010, more than 170 communities across the country have chosen to remove fluoride from their drinking water, according to the Fluoride Action Network. The practice of adding fluoride to U.S. drinking water began in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1945. After 10 years, local dentists reported a 60% reduction in cavities among children. Last month, Kennedy announced a task force to scrutinize fluoride's use while stating he would order the CDC to stop recommending that fluoride be added to tap water. While the health secretary cannot order communities to stop fluoridation, he can direct the CDC to cease its recommendation. The Department of Health and Human Services is planning to provide the public with guidance on strong dental hygiene for children that does not alter gut health, according to the FDA's announcement. The FDA's timeline suggests that children's fluoride supplements could begin disappearing from the market by the end of the year. Rather than pursuing a lengthy formal withdrawal process, the agency will ask manufacturers to voluntarily pull their products, according to an administration official. "When it comes to children, we should err on the side of safety," Makary stated, signaling a new era in which long-standing dental health practices face increased scrutiny based on emerging scientific evidence. The FDA said their latest move is consistent with "Secretary Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again effort to ensure children grow up in a healthy environment." Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com NYPost.com APNews.com
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