As the Trump administration takes steps to discourage the incorporation of fluoride in drinking water, experts warn the moves may have serious consequences for Americans’ health.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday announced it would “expeditiously review new scientific information on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water.”

The move came after a judge last year required the agency to take a second look at fluoride due to potential concerns.

Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told reporters Monday that he would direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water.

Kennedy was in Utah, which banned adding fluoride to drinking water starting in May.

“I’m very, very proud of this state for being the first state to ban it, and I hope many more will,” he said.

Why is fluoride added to water?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral used for its ability to help prevent cavities in teeth. It does so by replacing the minerals in your teeth that would otherwise be lost to acid coming from bacteria in your mouth.

Fluoride can naturally be found in water — but typically at levels that are too low to prevent cavities, so state and local governments across the country have often added it in.

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