Bidin' Adieu to Prescription Fluoride Meds for Kids: Robert Kennedy Jr.'s Crusade Against Fluoride Continues
Fluoride medication for children to be withdrawn from market by US authorities. - U.S. authorities plan to withdraw fluoride supplements for children from sale.
Say so-long to prescription medications containing fluoride for our little ones, folks! According to a recent announcement by the Department of Health, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set in motion the wheels for the withdrawal of these prescriptions. These meds, unlike the fluoride toothpastes and mouthwashes, end up getting swallowed by infant and young children. It's worth mentioning that these pills were never approved by the FDA in the first place. This decision marks the beginning of a consultation period that runs until the end of October, involving experts to discuss the matter.
"It's time to put an end to fluoride ingestion for our kiddos," stated Health Minister Robert Kennedy Jr. in a press release. He's made it his mission to combat fluoride as a dietary supplement or in products. Yes, you read that right—the same Robert Kennedy Jr. who promised during his election campaign to terminate the fluoridation of public water sources.
But before you start popping your champagne corks just yet, it's important to remember that water fluoridation, a practice introduced in 1945, was lauded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as one of the decade's top ten public health achievements due to its dental cavity-prevention benefits. However, there's a growing belief that excessive fluoride consumption in children could lead to brain damage.
At the moment, an astounding 200 million American citizens drink fluoridated water—that's roughly two-thirds of the country's population.
Why Can't Toddlers Handle Their Fluoride?
Thanks to recent studies and research, scientists are increasingly concerned about the impact of fluoride on our children's developing brains. Exposure to fluoride during prenatal development and early childhood could potentially cause cognitive impairments, particularly in perceptual reasoning and verbal skills.
Multiple investigations conducted in several countries have revealed connections between elevated fluoride exposure and IQ drops in children. Some these associations have been reported in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Mexico, and the United States. The U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) even reported with "moderate confidence" in 2024 that excessive fluoride intake can lead to decreased IQ, specifically in instances where the drinking water contains more than 1.5 mg/L of fluoride. Although the evidence isn't sufficient to confirm similar impacts at the current U.S. recommended levels (0.7 mg/L) or on adult cognition.
High fluoride exposure has also been linked to dental and skeletal fluorosis, causing tooth discoloration and bone strength issues, respectively. Fortunately, these conditions usually arise at levels much higher than the recommended limits (above 4 mg/L).
So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen to Fluoride Medications
In light of these concerns about fluoride's effects on children's brains, the FDA is taking steps to remove concentrated pediatric ingestible fluoride products from the market. This action underlines the ongoing safety concerns regarding fluoride ingestion by our little ones.
Though there's still debate about whether low-level fluoride exposure below recommended safety guidelines poses a risk to a child’s brain development, it's clear that science and public health organizations are becoming cautious about our kids' exposure to fluoride. They're urging further examination of fluoride's safe intake threshold to preserve our children's cognitive abilities and oral health.
Stay tuned as the consultation period unfolds and experts weigh in on whether to permanently remove these meds from the market!
References:[1] Environmental Health Perspectives, 2025[2] American Academy of Pediatrics, 2024[3] United States National Toxicology Program, 2024[4] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024[5] Journal of the American Medical Association, Pediatrics, 2024
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is actively pursuing the removal of concentrated pediatric fluoride products following concerns about their impact on children's developing brains. This decision is a testament to the growing science surrounding the potential cognitive effects of fluoride exposure in children.
The Health Minister, Robert Kennedy Jr., has been a vocal opponent of fluoride, hoping to eliminate it as a dietary supplement or in products. The FDA's move to withdraw prescription fluoride medications is an important step in addressing concerns about fluoride ingestion for young children.
