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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Donna Lu Science writer

Explained: what is fluoride, is it safe, and why does RFK Jr want Trump to remove it from drinking water?

Close up of mouth and white teeth
Fluoride is a mineral found widely in nature that has been added to the water supply because it strengthens teeth and prevents cavities. RFK Jr wants Donald Trump to remove fluoride from tap water. Here’s what the science says. Photograph: Paper Boat Creative/Getty Images

Donald Trump would push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day in office if elected, former independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr declared on Saturday.

Kennedy, a prominent proponent of debunked public health claims whom Trump has promised will “take care of health” in his administration, made the declaration on X, claiming that fluoride was “an industrial waste” linked to a variety of health conditions.

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