South Carolina bill seeks to ban fluoride in water, sparking health debate

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A bill introduced by South Carolina lawmakers would prohibit utility companies from adding fluoride to public water systems, adding the state to a growing national debate over an additive that has been used in U.S. drinking water for decades.

The proposed legislation would ban fluoride from being added to any public water system in South Carolina. Supporters of the bill say the measure is intended to protect public health and ensure clean drinking water for residents.

One of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Thomas Gilreath, said fluoride poses health risks and should not be added to drinking water.

“As a representative for my constituents in District 7, and for the entire state of S.C., it is our duty as representatives to make sure we get the cleanest and safest drinking water for the citizens of S.C.”

The proposal is not the first of its kind. 

Earlier this year, Utah and Florida became the first states to ban the addition of fluoride to public drinking water.

Fluoride has been added to public water systems in the United States since the 1940s, a practice long supported by dental and public health organizations as a way to reduce tooth decay.

Some dental professionals in South Carolina are raising concerns about how a ban could affect oral health.

Ainsley Williams, a registered dental hygienist at Dental Care of Rosewood, said fluoride plays an important role in preventing cavities when used alongside toothpaste and in-office dental treatments.

“Fluoride is a chemical treatment that we do usually at the end of a dentist appointment when you get your cleaning,” Williams said. “It helps to prevent cavities, re-mineralizes enamel and helps protect your enamel against acid.”

Williams said research shows fluoride use can significantly reduce tooth decay.

“People who are treated with fluoride in their water or with application through your dentist appointment or your toothpaste, twenty to forty percent experience less decay because of the fluoride,” she said.

She added that fluoride is already present in many everyday products.

“There’s fluoride in everything,” Williams said. “There’s fluoride in fish, there’s fluoride in juice that we drink. So to get away from fluoride is going to be difficult.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has previously said fluoride is considered dangerous only in large amounts and has warned that removing it from water systems could negatively affect oral health.

In a statement to News19, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services did not address the controversy directly but said fluoride may occur naturally in drinking water and has historically been added by water systems to improve dental health.

It remains unclear when the bill could be taken up during the next legislative session.