The city of Madison is no longer fluoridating their water and Ridgeland is on the verge of following Madison’s lead. It’s going to be a good decade for Northside dentists.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists fluoridation of drinking water as one of 10 great public health interventions of the 20th century because it led to a dramatic decline in cavities after community water fluoridation began.
In 1945, Grand Rapids became the first city to add fluoride to its drinking water supply. In 1962, the U.S. Public Health Service officially recommended adding fluoride to local water to prevent decay.
The reason Madison is stopping fluoridation is twofold: First, there has been difficulty acquiring sodium fluoride. Second, there is concern about the side effects.
“For more than three years, fluoride wasn’t available to purchase from our suppliers due to supply chain issues caused by the covid-19 pandemic,” Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee said. “Only recently has the supply become available at levels enough to maintain a constant supply.”
The city expects to save an initial cost of $160,000 to $200,000 and about $60,000 annually for the chemical, maintenance, repairs and monitoring as a minimum, he said. Public hearings will be held before Ridgeland makes a decision.
The city of Madison no longer adds fluoride to its drinking water, said Pete Vozzo, senior director of operations for the city of Madison. “We made the change in a board resolution earlier this year.” Madison initially had trouble getting fluoride during covid, he said.
“Several states have banned it,” according to Vozzo. “Most municipalities are going away from it.”
JXN Water currently adds fluoride to the city of Jackson’s drinking water, said Aisha Carson, a spokesperson for JXN Water.
The Mississippi Department of Health (MSDH) encourages the use of fluoride based on its proven benefits, said Greg Flynn, director of external affairs for the department.
An AI search indicated that 170 communities have stopped fluoridating water over the last six years. Currently, 72 percent of the U.S. population gets fluoridated water.
Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy is against fluoridation.
In September 2024, a federal judge ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to further regulate fluoride, citing potential risks to children's intellectual development. This ruling prompted several cities to immediately suspend fluoridation programs.
On September 24, 2024, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen issued a landmark ruling in Food & Water Watch Inc. v. EPA, finding that the current "optimal" level of water fluoridation in the United States poses an "unreasonable risk" to children's intellectual development. The court ordered the EPA to initiate a regulatory response to mitigate this risk.
Under the Toxic Substances Control Act, the judge ruled that while there is not "certainty" of injury, the evidence established a risk significant enough to require federal intervention.
The decision relied heavily on a 2024 report from the National Toxicology Program (NTP), which linked high fluoride exposure to lower IQ in children.
The EPA filed a notice of appeal in January 2025. As of early 2026, the case remains under review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
In April 2025, the EPA announced it would "expeditiously review" updated science on fluoride, including the NTP findings, to inform potential changes to its drinking water standards.
Meanwhile, the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have reiterated their strong support of fluoridation. A recent Swedish study showed no impact on IQ caused by current levels of fluoridation.
Studies have shown fluoridation prevents up to 60 percent of cavities in baby teeth and 40 percent in young adults. It can reduce cavities in older adults up to 27 percent. Overall, fluoridation prevents 25 percent of cavities.
The American Dental Association (ADA) predicts eliminating fluoride will cost the United States about two billion dollars a year. In a recent press release the ADA stated, “This is a huge cost for our country and it’s all avoidable. There is no better replacement for the time-tested, doctor-trusted use of fluoride in community water programs. No amount of political rhetoric or misinformation will change that good oral health depends on proper nutrition, oral hygiene and optimally fluoridated water, or fluoride supplements if community water programs lack fluoride.
“Cavities are a chronic disease, and we know what causes them and how to prevent them. Dental disease is one of the most common chronic diseases, five times more common than asthma. It’s time we stopped debating irresponsible and misinformed actions like what is happening in states like Florida and Utah and recognize the serious consequences if we discontinue fluoride in water programs or in dental products.”
So there you have it, one more big debate about a long-accepted practice. This time, fluoridating water. This is in sync with the huge debate going on about childhood vaccines.
I believe these new debates of long-held practices are caused by the rise of the Internet, and now AI, where increases in communication are causing people to interact and debate issues more now than in the past. Expect this trend to continue.
Meanwhile, my dental hygienist Susan Burnham at Dr. Seth Mosal’s office answered my question about why I can’t find good Glide dental floss anymore.
Turns out, Glide used Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) a “forever chemical” known as Teflon, one of the lowest friction substances known to man.
Health advocates fear little pieces of Teflon are getting ingested by flossing with Glide, creating a health risk, so Glide no longer uses Teflon.
Darn, I really liked Glide dental floss.
