The American Dental Association (ADA) announced its support Monday for new U.S. federal legislation requiring evidence-based research to guide oral health policy.
“Recently, there has been a growing distrust of credible, time-tested, evidence-based science about the safety and need for water fluoridation programs,” said Dr. Brett Kessler, president of the ADA.
The ADA also praised Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) for introducing the Protect Our Treatment for Enamel, Erosion, and Tooth Health (TEETH) Act. The bill aims to uphold scientific rigour in future water fluoridation studies and encourage U.S. states to rely on peer-reviewed evidence when making public health decisions.
(Official text of the Protect Our TEETH Act is available here)
So far, Utah and Florida are among the first U.S. states where some communities have halted water fluoridation, following increased public scrutiny partly influenced by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. Kennedy has questioned the safety of fluoride, suggesting it may be linked to health concerns such as lowered IQ in children.
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NASEM’s role
Kessler emphasized the need to combat misinformation by leveraging the expertise of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), which he described as a gold standard for objective scientific analysis. “NASEM can offer independent and objective advice on the actual evidence of fluoride safety and dispel myths that have gained recent popularity without merit,” he said.
The ADA said that 80 years of community water fluoridation at optimal levels has proven to be safe and effective in reducing tooth decay, particularly for people with limited access to dental care.
The association also highlighted its long-standing role in public education, noting that it has published Fluoridation Facts since 1952. This reference guide, available as an e-book, addresses technical and public concerns about fluoride use and provides scientifically backed information on water fluoridation.