MIAMI — Florida has officially banned the addition of fluoride to public water systems, becoming the second state to do so after Utah. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the controversial SB 700—part of the Florida Farm Bill—on Thursday, citing the need for “informed consent” and framing fluoridation as “forced medication.”
Though the bill does not explicitly name fluoride, it restricts “certain additives” in public water, effectively targeting the long-standing public health practice. The new law takes effect July 1.
At a news conference, DeSantis emphasized individual choice: “Use fluoride for your teeth if you want, but forcing it into the water supply takes away personal freedom.”
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and other health professionals joined DeSantis in claiming fluoride could harm pregnant women and children. However, critics—including Miami Mayor Daniella Levine Cava—have blasted the decision, calling it a direct contradiction of decades of dental and medical consensus.
Public health organizations like the CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Dental Association continue to support water fluoridation, stating it reduces tooth decay by 25%.
Utah implemented a similar ban earlier this month, and anti-fluoride efforts have gained traction in other states, inspired in part by figures like Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
As more states consider similar bans, public health experts warn that such moves could undermine efforts to prevent tooth decay, especially in underserved communities.
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