On Jan. 28, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the first step of its expedited review to determine safe levels of fluoride in drinking water, according to a notice posted in the Federal Register.

The agency’s final toxicity assessment will inform potential revisions to fluoride drinking water standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act and will also support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations on fluoride in drinking water, according to the notice.

Removing the natural mineral fluoride from drinking water is a priority of the MAHA movement that backs Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Kennedy opposes the addition of fluoride to public drinking water to improve dental health, and has claimed without scientific evidence.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May said it would remove fluoride supplements for children from the market.

The American Dental Association has maintained support for community water fluoridation, which studies have shown reduces tooth decay by more than 25% in children and adults.

The EPA’s review will focus on fluoride’s effects on brain and tooth development, and “only focus on potential harmful effects and will not consider beneficial effects,” Jess Kramer, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Water, said in a webinar hosted by the group MAHA Action.

The EPA was ordered in 2024 by a federal judge to strengthen fluoride regulation and address the risk of drinking water fluoridation to children’s IQs. Last April, the agency said it would expedite the next fluoride health assessment under the Safe Drinking Water Act schedule, which requires a review of drinking water regulations every six years.