(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed legislation enacting a new state law requiring public water systems in Connecticut to maintain the existing levels of fluoride used in water supplies under the recommendation as currently prescribed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), providing the state with defenses should the Trump administration move forward with its plans to eliminate this federal standard.
The approval of this law is being hailed by local dentists as a victory for public health.
“Community water fluoridation has been effective in the United States for nearly a century, and it remains one of the most successful and efficient strategies in improving oral health,” Governor Lamont said. “There is no reason to tamper with this health standard, which has been proven to be safe and effective for many decades. With this enactment of this new state law, we will ensure that this public health standard continues in Connecticut regardless of whatever political decisions are made at the federal level. I appreciate the leadership of Connecticut’s Senate Democrats caucus, particularly Senator Looney and Senator Duff, for bringing this issue before the legislature and advocating for its passage so that I could sign it into law.”
Backed by nearly a century of scientific research and proven public health outcomes, fluoride significantly prevents tooth decay in children and adults, reducing cavities by up to 25% even with regular use of fluoride toothpaste. The United States first began adding fluoride to drinking water in the 1940s, and it has been credited as being one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th century by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition to health benefits, water fluoridation offers major cost savings. On average, every $1 invested saves $38 in dental treatment – making it a critical tool for both preventive care and long-term economic impact.
Connecticut state statutes most recently required public water systems to maintain an average monthly fluoride content that is not more or less than 0.15 mg/L different than the amount that is recommended by HHS, which is currently 0.7 mg/L. This new state law simply preserves that 0.7 mg/L standard in state statutes, no longer keeping it tied to HHS.
“Fluoridation in public water supplies doesn’t just benefit public and dental health; the Harvard School of Dental Medicine predicts that a national ban on fluoride would increase dental costs by nearly $20 billion over a ten-year period in the United States as cavity rates grow, adding another financial burden for countless families,” Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) said. “This bill represents support for forward-thinking, science-first policies – it also represents a xxxxxx against rising costs in our state.”
“To put it simply, there’s no evidence that fluoride in public waterways in the United States does anything other than prevent cavities and improve oral health,” Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) said. “In Canada, cavity rates rose 10% when Calgary removed fluoride from public water supplies – and the city’s leaders are working to bring it back. Why make the same mistake? This bill ensures Connecticut will not turn its back on one of the best public health advances of the last century. We will not be intimidated by conspiracy theories that put our children and public health at risk.”
“Fluoridation became law in Connecticut in 1965, and these regulations have been improving oral health for hundreds of thousands of residents for 60 years,” Connecticut Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, M.D., said. “Numerous research studies have shown that water fluoridation is safe, effective, and the best way to improve oral health in a community. Given the large decrease in tooth decay during the past 60 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named water fluoridation one of ten great public health achievements of the 20th century. Oral health is crucial to public health by significantly impacting overall well-being as well as influencing physical and mental health. This new law ensures the decades of this work will continue in Connecticut.”
The signing of this law is being praised by the Connecticut State Dental Association (CSDA) and other local medical organizations.
“Connecticut’s legislators and Governor Lamont have acted expeditiously and effectively to protect the health of Connecticut residents by ensuring that community water fluoridation remains in place here,” Kathlene Gerrity, executive director of CSDA, said. “CSDA appreciates their diligence on this issue, and commitment to prioritize public health over disinformation.”
Gerrity says that the CSDA is denouncing recent misinformation around fluoridation, noting that statements by Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo labeling fluoridation as “medical malpractice” have been widely rejected by public health experts. American Dental Association President Dr. Brett Kessler has called these remarks “misinformed and dangerous.”
A recent JAMA Pediatrics article that raised concerns about fluoride and IQ presented no new evidence and relied on a National Toxicology Program report that failed peer review twice and was significantly revised prior to release. Current research continues to confirm the safety of fluoride at recommended levels.
“In stark contrast to the fluoride ban in Utah, Florida, and, most recently in Oklahoma, I am proud to be practicing in Connecticut where there has been a proactive approach to protecting community water fluoridation,” Dr. Brianna Muñoz, a board-certified pediatric dentist and president of the Connecticut Oral Health Initiative, said. “Recognized by the CDC as one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, water fluoridation has been proven to prevent tooth decay for the entire community in the most equitable and cost-effective manner. Community water fluoridation is the only way to cross socioeconomic lines and to benefit those living in the shadows of society who may not otherwise have access to dental care.”
The CSDA is among more than a hundred leading health organizations – including the American Dental Association (ADA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), American Medical Association (AMA), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) – that have reaffirmed the safety, effectiveness, and public health importance of community water fluoridation.
The legislation is included in section 183 of Public Act 25-168. This new law went into effect immediately upon receiving Governor Lamont’s signature.
