Florida’s Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo issued a new guidance on Nov. 22, advising against the long-standing practice of adding fluoride to the public drinking water supply. “Adding fluoride to water increases the risk of neuropsychiatric disease in children and reduces their IQ,” Ladapo said in a post on X. “We can strengthen teeth without consuming this neurotoxin.”
In his guidance, Ladapo states that fluoride, which is known to strengthen teeth and make them more resistant to decay, is “widely available from multiple sources,” such as toothpaste and mouthwashes, and cites several studies that found a connection between negative mental side effects and fluoride exposure during childhood and pregnancy. Those side effects include an association with lowered IQ, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as decreased child inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility.
His guidance also cited a report published in August 2024 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Toxicology Program, which also suggested a connection between fluoridated water and lower IQ in children. Ladapo also pointed to a U.S. District Court ruling that found “community water fluoridation at 0.7 milligrams per liter presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health under the Amended Toxic Substances Control Act” and called upon the Environmental Protection Agency to take action. The surgeon general announced his position in Winter Haven, Florida, which recently announced its own decision to remove fluoride from its public water supply.
