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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. waded into another scientific debate about Saturday saying that Donald Trump’s administration will advise that fluoride be removed from the country’s water supplies if the former president wins Tuesday’s presidential election.

“On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems for removing fluoride from public water. Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders and thyroid disease,” Kennedy, a former independent presidential candidate, wrote in a social media post.

Trump suggested that Kennedy, who was an environmental lawyer before entering politics, would oversee a health portfolio in his next administration.

At a campaign rally in New York last week, Trump said he would let Kennedy “run wild on health,” “go wild on food” and “go wild on medicine.” At a rally in Michigan on Friday, Trump said Kennedy would have “a big role in health care” and had “some views that I happen to agree with very strongly.”

Here’s what health experts weigh in as the public health practice of adding fluoride to America’s water supply comes under increased scrutiny.

Fluoride occurs naturally in the environment in water and rocks, as well as in some foods. The mineral can also be a byproduct of someindustry,According to the CDC.

A federal judge in September orderly The US Environmental Protection Agency to take further action to regulate fluoride in drinking water because of a possible risk that higher levels of the mineral could affect children’s intelligence. development.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen ruled that while it’s unclear whether the amount of fluoride commonly added to water is causing a drop in IQ in children, there is enough risk to warrant investigation and that the EPA must take further action in its regulation. The ruling did not specify what action the EPA must take, and the agency is currently reviewing the decision.

A federal review published in August by the National Institutes of Health’s National Toxicology Program concluded that higher levels of fluoride are related to Low IQ in children.

The program based its conclusion onstudies involving fluoride levels at about twice the US recommended limit for drinking water.

However,the review also noted that exposure levels at lower levels were less definitive: “Evidence for an association between fluoride exposure below 1.5 mg/L and lower IQ in children appeared less consistent than results from studies at higher exposure levels.”

Previous research has also found higher levels of fluoride exposure during pregnancy have been associated with decreases in IQ in children.

A 2019 study looking at Canadian mothers and children found that for every 1 additional milligram per liter of fluoride concentration in a mother’s urine, there was a 4.5-point drop in male IQ. The study did not find such a significant association in female children, nor did it examine why boys were more significantly affected.

What we know about fluoride and health

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends community water fluoridation as a cost-effective way to improve Americans’ oral health.

Exposure to fluoride in excess of the recommended public health amount over many years can lead to skeletal fluorosis,a condition that is rare in the US and causes weaker bones and joint pain. Too much fluoride can also lead to dental fluorosis, ie cosmetic and can cause the outer enamel layer of the tooth to have white spots or lines.

Recent research examining the link between cancer and fluoride levels has found no association, according CDCand the American Cancer Society.

There is also no evidence that fluoride can cause birth defects in humans, according to the CDC.

The mineral can help prevent tooth decay by strengthening the protective outer layer of enamel that can be worn away by acids from bacteria, plaque and sugars in the mouth. Addition of fluoride to public water systemsstarted first in the United States in 1945.

Now, nearly three-quarters of the U.S. population — about 209 million people — are served by drinking water systems that have been fluoridated, according to CDC data.

State and local governments control most municipal water supplies across the country. Some communities across the country such as Portland, Oregonand Tucson, Arizonathey voted to stop adding fluoride to their water.

Recently, the public health practice of adding fluoride to water supplies has faced renewed scrutiny after some reports suggested that the benefits may not be as significant as they once were, especially with the widespread use of toothpaste that includes fluoride, which has been available since the 1970s.

Last month, a reportfrom the Cochrane Collaboration, an independent group that systematically reviews scientific research, found only a small benefit in adding fluoride to tap water, resulting in slightly less decay in children’s baby teeth.

Other studies found that fluoride in water made a difference in decay in only about a quarter of teeth, on average, according to the Cochrane report.

However, the American Dental Association says fluoride in community water supplies is “the most effective public health measure for preventing tooth decay.”

“Studies show that water fluoridation continues to be effective in reducing tooth decay by at least 25 percent in children and adults, even in the era of widespread availability of fluoride from other sources, such as fluoride toothpaste,” says the ADA . website.

CDC continues to promote the safety and benefits of community water fluoridation.

“Water fluoridation has been identified as the most cost-effective method of providing fluoride to all community members, regardless of age, education or income level,” the agency wrote in a May statement.

If you’re concerned about your fluoride intake, you can switch to bottled water, look for water filters that filter out fluoride, and make sure your kids don’t swallow their toothpaste.