Fluoride Ban: Tooth Decay & Dental Costs Rise
- public water systems could lead to a significant increase in tooth decay among children and substantially raise dental care costs, according to a new modeling study.
- The study, published in JAMA Health forum, simulated two scenarios over five- and 10-year periods: maintaining current fluoride levels and eliminating fluoride from public water. The microsimulation model...
- Sung Eun Choi, assistant professor of Oral Health Policy & Epidemiology at Harvard, explained that the simulation ran 1,000 times to account for various factors affecting the results,...
A new study reveals a fluoride ban in the U.S. could dramatically increase tooth decay and dental costs. Researchers project 25.4 million more instances of tooth decay within five years if fluoride is removed from public water systems. The findings also estimate a $9.8 billion surge in dental care expenses. The Harvard School of Dental Medicine study highlights the critical role of current fluoride levels in maintaining oral health,particularly for children. With public health expenses possibly rising, the impact on publicly insured children is important.News Directory 3 delivers the latest on critical health matters. What policy decisions are coming next regarding dental health? Discover what’s next …
Fluoride Ban Linked to Rise in Tooth Decay, Dental Costs
Updated May 30, 2025
Eliminating fluoride from U.S. public water systems could lead to a significant increase in tooth decay among children and substantially raise dental care costs, according to a new modeling study. Researchers at Harvard School of Dental Medicine used data from the National Health and Nutrition examination Survey (NHANES) to project the impact of removing fluoride.
The study, published in JAMA Health forum, simulated two scenarios over five- and 10-year periods: maintaining current fluoride levels and eliminating fluoride from public water. The microsimulation model tracked disease progression to estimate the impact on tooth decay risk and related dental expenses.
Sung Eun Choi, assistant professor of Oral Health Policy & Epidemiology at Harvard, explained that the simulation ran 1,000 times to account for various factors affecting the results, ensuring more reliable predictions.
The findings indicated that removing fluoride would increase the total number of decayed teeth by 7.5 percentage points, resulting in 25.4 million more teeth with tooth decay over five years—roughly one tooth for every three American children. While fluorosis cases would decrease by 0.2 million, the additional dental care costs were estimated at $9.8 billion over five years, escalating to $19.4 billion after 10 years.
According to the study,most of the increased cost would affect publicly insured children,representing a direct public health expense.
The study did not assess cognitive effects, noting that current fluoride levels in public water are not linked to adverse neurobehavioral outcomes. Researchers emphasized that the model demonstrates the ongoing benefits of fluoride at safe levels recommended by agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We know fluoride works.We’re able to show just how much it effectively works for most communities and how much people stand to lose if we get rid of it,” said Simon.
What’s next
The researchers hope their findings will inform policy decisions regarding water fluoridation, highlighting the potential economic and oral health consequences of it’s removal.