{"id":257769,"date":"2025-11-02T14:52:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T14:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/257769\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T14:52:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T14:52:07","slug":"fda-restricts-kids-fluoride-supplements-over-health-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/257769\/","title":{"rendered":"FDA restricts kids\u2019 fluoride supplements over health risks"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014\u00a0The Food and Drug Administration\u00a0on Friday moved to\u00a0limit the use of fluoride<\/a>\u00a0supplements used to strengthen children\u2019s teeth, the latest action by Health Secretary\u00a0Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\u00a0and his deputies against a\u00a0chemical\u00a0that is a mainstay of dental care.<\/p>\n

The FDA said that the products are no longer recommended for children younger than 3 and those who are older but don\u2019t face serious risks of tooth decay. Previously, the products have been prescribed for children as young as six months.<\/p>\n

The action stopped short of FDA statements in May suggesting regulators would seek the removal<\/a> of the products from the market. Instead, the agency sent letters to four companies warning them not to market their products outside the new limits.<\/p>\n

The Food and Drug Administration\u00a0on Friday moved to\u00a0limit the use of fluoride\u00a0supplements used to strengthen children\u2019s teeth. Shisu_ka \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

Fluoride tablets and lozenges are sometimes recommended for children and teens at increased risk of tooth decay or cavities because of low fluoride in their local drinking water. Companies also sell drops for babies.<\/p>\n

Fluoride tablets may be recommended for children at risk of tooth decay or cavities. Artinun \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

The FDA released a new scientific analysis Friday, concluding that fluoride supplements have limited benefits for children\u2019s teeth and may be linked to emerging safety concerns, including gut issues, weight gain and cognition.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the same reason fluoride may work to kill bacteria on teeth, it may also alter the gut microbiome, which may have broader health implications,\u201d the agency said in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the same reason fluoride may work to kill bacteria on teeth, it may also alter the gut microbiome, which may have broader health implications,\u201d the FDA said after a new scientific analysis. AP<\/p>\n

The agency also sent a form letter to dentists and other health providers warning about the risks of the products.<\/p>\n

Those claims have been disputed by the American Dental Association, which has said there are no significant health problems associated with fluoride when used at the levels prescribed by dentists. The supplements can cause spotting or discoloration of teeth due to the extra fluoride, a downside the FDA also noted.<\/p>\n

Health Secretary\u00a0Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\u00a0has previously called fluoride\u00a0a \u201cdangerous neurotoxin.\u201d AP<\/p>\n

Dentists have warned that restricting fluoride supplements may result in more cavities and dental problems in rural communities, which are less likely to have fluoridated water. Kennedy is also seeking to end the practice of adding fluoride to drinking water throughout the U.S.<\/p>\n

Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1962, the agency set guidelines for how much should be added to water.<\/p>\n

Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer,\u00a0has called fluoride\u00a0a \u201cdangerous neurotoxin\u201d<\/a> tied to a range of health dangers.<\/p>\n

The FDA regulates most dental products, including fluoride-containing toothpastes, supplements, mouthwashes and rinses. The agency\u2019s actions don\u2019t affect toothpastes, mouthwash or fluoride treatments used by adults or those offered in dentists\u2019 offices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014\u00a0The Food and Drug Administration\u00a0on Friday moved to\u00a0limit the use of fluoride\u00a0supplements used to strengthen children\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":257770,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[64,63,64269,2156,137,532,1847,11787],"class_list":{"0":"post-257769","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-dental","11":"tag-fda","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-nutrition","14":"tag-robert-f-kennedy-jr","15":"tag-teeth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=257769"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257769\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/257770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=257769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=257769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=257769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}