FDA seeks to remove ingestible fluoride products for kids' teeth from the market
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday that it is starting the process of removing ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for kids from the market.
The FDA said in a news release it will conduct a scientific review of the children's products by Oct. 31 with the aim of removing them from the market.
It is not immediately clear whether the agency plans to ban the supplements or request that companies withdraw them.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that helps strengthen tooth enamel and reduce cavities, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It does this by repairing and preventing damage to teeth caused by bacteria in the mouth that produce acid, which in turn dissolves minerals in a tooth's surface and can even lead to tooth loss.
Poor oral health has been linked to complications including cardiovascular disease, and experts have told CBS News that preventative care is the best way to keep dental health in check.
"Fluoride supplements really do still make a difference," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said on "CBS Mornings" Wednesday. "In some places you don't have fluoride in the water, and many kids don't necessarily brush their teeth regularly with fluoridated toothpaste. They don't all make it to the dentist on a regular basis.
In general, fluoride can reduce the rate of cavities by about 25%, she added.
But, in the release, the FDA says ingested fluoride has been shown to "alter the gut microbiome," adding "other studies have suggested an association between fluoride and thyroid disorders, weight gain and possibly decreased IQ."
In the same release, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said ending the use of ingestible fluoride is "long overdue." Kennedy has a long history of questioning fluoride's safety, it's linked to a number of health problems.
Dental experts largely disagree.
Dr. Aaron Yancoskie, associate dean of academic affairs at Touro College of Dental Medicine, told "CBS Mornings Plus" in November there is "excellent, solid data going back 75 years, showing that fluoride is both safe and it's extremely effective at decreasing dental decay, that is, cavities, by strengthening the enamel of our teeth."
The action against ingestible fluoride comes after Kennedy, in April, called for the end of community water fluoridation, praising Utah's move to ban the mineral from being added to public water systems.
"It makes no sense to have it in our water supply. And I'm very, very proud of this state for being the first state to ban it. And I hope many more will come," Kennedy told reporters in Utah.
For now, Gounder said parents can still use fluoride toothpastes, mouthwashes and dentist-applied varnishes.
"The big concern here is that you have 70 million Americans who do not have dental insurance," she added. "We know that low-income kids have three times the risk of dental cavities that go untreated to other kids. So we know that certain populations are really going to see a surge in dental cavities."
