CHARBONNEAU – Trump’s health tzar plans to remove fluorides from water
(Image: Mel Rothenburger)
PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump has picked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health.
Kennedy has an ambitious agenda, one of them to remove fluoride from water.
He’ll run into a few problems.
The first is that all water naturally contains fluorides. Most natural fluoride concentrations in U.S. tap water range from 0.3 to 1.0 part per million (ppm).
Since the optimum level of fluorides to reduce tooth decay is 0.7 ppm, this means that some areas of the U.S. have natural fluorides equal to, or above, the recommended level.
Unless Kennedy plans to pick a fight with Mother Nature, fluorides will be difficult to remove.
All the water we drink, unless distilled, is fluoridated to some extent. As soon as rain contacts the earth it begins to dissolve natural fluorine compounds, like calcium fluoride, found in soil and rocks.
The concentration of natural fluorides depends on the acidity of the water and length of time in contact with rocks and soil. So, river water is less fluoridated than well water. Kamloops’ water naturally has about one-half the fluoride concentration necessary to prevent tooth decay.
Fluorine and iodine both belong to the group of elements called halogens. Iodine is added to salt to increase the production of thyroid hormones. In Mexico, fluorides are added to salt to reduce dental cavities.
Kennedy alleges that fluorides come from “industrial waste.” It’s the same misinformation that led anti-health lobbyists in Kamloops to scare citizens into having additional fluorides removed.
Like most misinformation, there is an element of truth to the allegation. The fluorides added to water are a byproduct of the fertilizer industry – not exactly a toxic source.
Another problem with Kennedy’s plan is that the decision to add fluorides is not his to make; it’s a decision made by state and local health authorities. Kennedy said on X that “the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water.”
Advise away. Given the number of blue states and U.S. counties that think that fluorides are a way of universally improving dental health, and that Trump and his czar are wingnuts, state and local health authorities can tell Kennedy to shove it.
Kennedy alleges that fluorides are “associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease.”
In the case of IQ loss, he has something there.
At the risk of appearing to agree with a quack, some studies have concluded that IQ loss can occur when pregnant mothers drink fluoridated water.
One study was done in six Canadians cities: Toronto, Hamilton, and Halifax with added fluorides; Vancouver, Montreal, and Kingston without.
The study found: “maternal exposure to higher levels of fluoride during pregnancy was associated with lower IQ scores in children aged 3 to 4 years. These findings indicate the possible need to reduce fluoride intake during pregnancy.”
The results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), August 19, 2019.
If you throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick.
David Charbonneau is a retired TRU electronics instructor who hosts a blog at http://www.eyeviewkamloops.wordpress.com.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Is the writer naive, being disingenuous or just taking an idea to ridiculous heights in a lame effort to make fun of Mr. Kennedy?
“Removing fluorides from water” means ceasing to add this byproduct of fertilizer manufacture to drinking water, not removing natural levels.
Fluoride is widely known to contribute to osteoporosis and other bone and muscle problems. We don’t need to drink it in order for teeth to benefit–simple brushing with a fluoridated toothpaste (and almost all are) will do the trick.
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Bronwen,
I have wondered if there is an association between fluoridation of drinking water and Crohn’s/Colitis/IBD.
The village in which I grew up is in SW Ontario. The drinking water was fluoridated. There seemed to have been a high number of people who developed colitis, Crohn’s and IBD. With the arrival of the spring in 2025, I will have had Crohn’s for 25 years (although, as the specialist said, I likely have had it all my life.) Multiple surgeries, intake of medications including biologics and lifestyle changes have been my companions during that time period.
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Adding fluoride to water is a form of vaccination so if people want to use it add it to your water. I agree that fluoride benefits dental health but so does good dental hygiene. However, excess amounts of fluoride ions in drinking water can cause dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis, arthritis, bone damage, osteoporosis, muscular damage, fatigue, joint-related problems, and chronicle issues.
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A quick review of some NIH, ScienceDirect and other peer-reviewed scientific sources shows that fluoridated drinking water is indeed linked to inflammatory bowel diseases, including colitis and Chrohn’s.
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I grew up in Moose Jaw, the water was fluoridated. There were six of us plus Mom and Dad. Money certainly wasn’t plentiful, resulting only seeing a dentist when there was a cavity or a major catastrophe. (Such as the time I ran into a parking meter and broke off a front tooth.)
Today is my 82 birthday. Spent part of the morning at the dentist. The was there to do a little maintenance to help get another 82 years out of my mouthful of teeth. I strongly believe if it hadn’t been for the fluoride, I would be sipping a lot of homemade soup today.
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The main reason for fluoridating water is to prevent cavities by making teeth stronger and more resistant to decay. Placing fluoride in water beyond what nature provides does not replace good dental habits. These include eating a good diet, brushing and flossing the teeth often, and having regular dental check ups.
Because you don’t agree with someone who is asking questions does not necessarily make them a wingnut, a quack and a czar. You quote JAMA and say “its possible that IQ [young children] is affected” when JAMA article stated that the “findings indicate the possible need to reduce fluoride intake during pregnancy.” However, prolonged high exposure to fluoride produces changes in bone morphology consistent with osteomalacia. (Mayo Clinic) There are other issues with fluoridation such as regulations .7 mg per liter of water max How much fluoride we should ingest depends on a person’s age, sex, and physical condition (e.g., pregnancy). Just because we have used fluoride for years does not mean we should ignore how to manage fluoride use
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