AGD Backs Legislation to Safeguard Community Water Fluoridation

The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), along with several leading dental organizations, has signed a joint letter to U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), voicing strong support for H.R. 4556, the Protect Our Treatment for Enamel, Erosion, and Tooth Health (TEETH) Act.

The legislation calls on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to commission an independent, rapid-response evidence review by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine before proposing any updates to federal drinking water regulations that could affect community water fluoridation.

“Decisions that affect the oral health of millions must be rooted in robust and objective science,” said Chethan Chetty, DDS, MAGD, president of AGD. “The TEETH Act is a commonsense measure to ensure that any changes to water fluoridation policy are informed by credible, comprehensive evidence, not reactionary or flawed data.”

Community water fluoridation has been used safely for more than 80 years to reduce tooth decay in children and adults by approximately 25 percent. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognize it as one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.

The letter highlights growing concerns about the EPA’s recent announcement to dissolve its U.S. Office of Research and Development, the division responsible for developing the scientific evidence that guides regulatory decisions. Without this critical function, oral health advocates worry that community water fluoridation policy could be compromised by misinformation or misinterpreted science.

H.R. 4556 would establish safeguards to ensure that any proposed EPA regulation altering fluoride levels in public water systems is first subjected to a transparent and evidence-based review.

“Without community water fluoridation, the financial burden of dental care will rise significantly,” the letter states. “H.R. 4556 ensures that policies protecting oral health remain based on the best available science.”

The AGD and its coalition partners reaffirm their commitment to evidence-based public health policies that protect the dental and overall health of American communities.