After Sowing Distrust in Fluoridated Water, Kennedy and Skeptics Turn to Obstructing Other Fluoride Sources

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 6 min read 100% complete by Anna ClarkJanuary 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

After successfully banning community water fluoridation in Utah, anti-fluoride activists, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are now targeting alternative fluoride sources. Despite promoting fluoride supplements as an alternative to water fluoridation, the FDA, under Kennedy's oversight, has issued notices regarding children's fluoride supplements. Similarly, the Texas Attorney General is investigating companies marketing fluoride toothpaste. Experts worry that this coordinated effort, fueled by alarmist rhetoric, will discourage the use of all forms of fluoride, including supplements and treatments, despite its proven benefits in preventing tooth decay. Changes to Medicaid may also limit access to dental care, further hindering fluoride treatment availability for vulnerable populations.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry 30% Medicaid 40% Donald Trump 40% United States Health and Human Services 40% Scott Tomar ×240% Texas 50% Mike Schultz 50% Ken Paxton 60% Utah House of Representatives ×260% Food and Drug Administration 70% Utah ×370% Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ×290%

Keywords

water fluoridation 100% fluoride supplements 80% oral health 70% tooth decay 60% robert f. kennedy jr. 50% public health 50% access to healthcare 40% skepticism 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

ProPublica

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

Topic Connections

Explore how the topics in this article connect to other news stories

No topic relationship data available yet. This graph will appear once topic relationships have been computed.

water fluoridation fluoride supplements oral health tooth decay robert f. kennedy jr.public health access to healthcare skepticism

Explore Full Topic Graph