Utah Ends Fluoride Use In Water Over Concerns About Brain Development

Utah has enacted a first-in-the-nation law banning fluoride from public drinking water, citing research that links exposure to reduced IQ in children. Gov. Spencer Cox signed the bill into law Thursday, with the new policy scheduled to take effect in early May.

Cox said he saw no significant benefit to mandatory fluoridation and raised questions about forcing such exposure on residents. He stated that even with 44 percent of the state drinking fluoridated water, Utah has not seen drastic differences in health outcomes.

His view was supported by recent studies from the National Toxicology Program, which reported that fluoride levels above 1.5 milligrams per liter were associated with impaired brain development. The research found that fluoride may interfere with early neural development, particularly during pregnancy.

Further analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics confirmed that fluoride exposure in utero could have lasting effects. In studies tracking pregnant women and their children, IQ scores dropped between 3 to 5 points in kids whose mothers had higher fluoride levels during pregnancy.

The decision aligns with a broader national conversation about fluoride safety. Florida’s top health official previously warned of fluoride’s neuropsychiatric risks, and a federal court ordered the EPA to reevaluate its regulatory standards.

Gov. Cox, who was raised in a community without fluoridated water, has repeatedly stated that the government must meet a high standard before requiring any substance in the water supply. The law bans municipalities from deciding on their own to add fluoride.

Despite federal agencies continuing to promote fluoride as a way to fight tooth decay, Utah’s approach reflects a shift in prioritizing individual health autonomy and newly emerging science.

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