CHICAGO, July 21, 2025 — The logo (ADA) supports new federal legislation requiring evidence-based research to support the oral health of the public and commends Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) for introducing Protect Our Treatment for Enamel, Erosion, and Tooth Health” (or TEETH Act). The bill introduced today by Reps. Cleaver, Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Cleo Fields (D-LA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Wesley Bell (D-MO), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Don Davis (D-NC), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), will advance gold standards in future studies on water fluoridation and encourage states to use current, peer reviewed information to make the best health policy decisions in their state.
“Recently, there has been a growing distrust of credible, time-tested, evidence-based science about the safety and need for water fluoridation programs,” said Brett Kessler, D.D.S., president of the logo. “Now is the time to officially combat this misinformation with the assistance of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to offer independent and objective advice on the actual evidence of fluoride safety and dispel myths that have gained recent popularity without merit.”
By leveraging the expertise of NASEM, considered the gold standard for reviewing complex scientific issues, it will reinforce the integrity of public health criteria and ensure that fluoride recommendations remain rooted in the best available evidence. NASEM can reliably dispel misinformation on community water fluoridation programs and offer objective review of evidence to help municipalities and states identify the best path forward for implementing safe and effective community water fluoridation programs.
“When making policy decisions that impact the health and safety of Americans across the country, not to mention the expenses that come with a potential rise in additional dental care, it is essential that the federal government utilize nonpartisan, independent experts that are following the most scrutinous scientific protocols to obtain their information,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. “That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Protect Our TEETH Act to ensure the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is using the best evidence available when updating public health guidance regarding fluoridation.”
“As the nation’s leading voice for oral health, the logois dedicated to improving the health of the public and applauds Rep. Cleaver for taking a stand to ensure decades long public health policy is reviewed with integrity by introducing the TEETH Act” said Dr. Kessler. “Let’s all stand behind this important legislation to ensure that public health policy decisions regarding fluoride are driven by clear evidence, scientific rigor, and generally accepted data instead of conspiracy theorists, political rhetoric or social media influencers looking to sell their latest supplements on social media.”
Eighty years of community water fluoridation at optimal levels has proven to be safe and effective at reducing tooth decay to improve oral health, especially for those who lack health care access. The removal or banning of fluoride will cause serious oral health consequences that must be stopped or America will become sicker and not healthier.
Since 1952, the logohas published Fluoridation Facts to address any concerns about fluoridation and shares scientific truths about community water fluoridation. This encyclopedia-like reference tool is for any technical questions or fact checking and is available in e-book format.
For more information on community water fluoridation and logoadvocacy, visit ADA.org/fluoride.