Payam Javan: Utah is set to become the first U.S. state to ban the addition of fluoride to public drinking water, as Governor Spencer Cox plans to sign the recently passed legislation. Despite fluoride’s proven benefits in reducing tooth decay by approximately 25%, concerns over potential health risks and the ethics of mass medication have prompted this decision. ​

Critics, including the American Dental Association, warn that removing fluoride could disproportionately affect low-income communities lacking alternative dental care options. However, Governor Cox argues that in Utah communities without fluoridated water, no significant differences in dental health outcomes have been observed. ​