Supporters said the bill would allow for more local control over fluoride exposure.
Jennifer Harrison, dental hygienist and steering committee member for the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition, countered that fluoride prevents cavities for people who cannot afford a trip to the dentist. She added that the issue is compounded by a lack of dental care practitioners in many parts of the state.
"We have several counties, I think the last check was maybe six in Kentucky, that have no dentists at all," Harrison pointed out.
House Bill 103 passed the House and now sits with a state Senate committee. Harrison added that in some Kentucky high schools, kids as young as 16 receive full-mouth extractions because of poor dental hygiene.
Lack of oral health access and knowledge, along with daily exposure to sugar-sweetened beverages and high starch diets, has led to an uptick in tooth decay in rural populations. She recommended reading peer-reviewed research articles for the facts on fluoride.
"We just had a new study, and it was a longitudinal study, which is over the same group of people for decades," Harrison noted. "That group was released in November of 2025 that showed there's absolutely no correlation between decreased IQ and fluoridated water."
Drinking fluoridated water keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities by about 25% in children and adults nationwide. Communities of more than 1,000 people see an average return on investment of $20 for every $1 spent on water fluoridation, by avoiding treatment for cavities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
