Welcome to Paging Dr. Gupta. Thanks for joining us. This week we're going to take a closer look at an issue that has been making a lot of headlines lately.

It makes no sense to have fluoride in our water. The evidence against fluoride is overwhelming.

And I'm very, very proud of this state for being the first state to ban it.

And I hope many more will come.

That was the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Talking about Utah, recently became the first state in the nation to ban fluoride in public drinking water, a practice known as fluoridation.

Now, typically on Tuesdays, we take your questions, but this week we're going to address a topic that's been getting a lot of questions, and that includes from our podcast producer Sophia Sanchez.

Hey, Sanjay. Yes, I've definitely been wondering about this topic myself. I've even been

asked a few questions from my family about what exactly the concern is over fluoride.

So what exactly is the concern over fluoride? All right, Sophia, let's start with the

basics, first of all. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that you can find in plants,

soil, certain foods, and obviously water. It is great for strengthening our teeth. And I'm going to

come back to that point.

But remember, fluoride can help strengthen your teeth, and that's why it's been added to toothpaste

and tap water for around eight decades now.

If you do the math, about 70% of Americans on community water systems, it's about 209 million

people have fluoridated drinking water in the United States.

And the CDC credits fluoridated water for a 25% reduction in cavities in children.

But here's the issue.

There is an emerging body of science that does raise some concerns about health issues associated with fluoride.

We now have a growing body of evidence linking systemic fluoride exposure with detrimental

effects on bone strength, thyroid function, and brain function, particularly when there is high exposure

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