Why 'Robert Kennedy' & 'fluoride in water' are trending on US election day?

A Google Trends analysis on Tuesday showed 'Robert Kennedy Jr' searches exceeding 100,000, marking a 1000 per cent surge in two hours

As the 2024 US presidential race heats up between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, a surprising figure is capturing attention: ‘Robert Kennedy Jr’ has become one of the most Googled names, alongside ‘Kamala Harris’, and ‘Donald Trump’.

 

A recent Google Trends analysis on Tuesday around 3.30 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) (2.00 am IST) revealed that searches for ‘Robert Kennedy Jr’ surpassed 100,000, showing an extraordinary 1000 per cent increase over just two hours, reported The Firstpost.  But what’s driving this unexpected surge? It all centres around a debate on ‘fluoride drinking water’.

 

Robert Kennedy Jr’s influence and Trump’s proposed policy on fluoride 

On November 2, Robert Kennedy Jr, known for controversial views on public health, endorsed Donald Trump. During a recent appearance, Kennedy said if Trump is elected, his administration will advise US water systems to remove fluoride from public drinking water, a change that could begin as early as January 20, 2025. Trump signalled he would grant Kennedy a substantial role in public health matters, remarking he’d let Kennedy “go wild on health”.

 

 

What is fluoride, and why is it important? 

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water, soil, and some plants, and it has been recognised as a powerful tool in preventing tooth decay. Since the mid-20th century, public health experts have promoted fluoride’s inclusion in drinking water as one of the most effective measures to improve dental health. 

 

Oliver Jones from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia describes fluoride as ‘a natural substance’ and highlights its role in forming a mineral called fluorapatite, which makes enamel stronger against bacteria that cause decay. According to dental expert Loc Do of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, “fluoride makes enamel more resistant to bacteria that cause decay”.

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that drinking water contain fluoride levels up to 1.5 milligrams per litre. This limit is mirrored in toothpaste, which typically includes 1,000 to 1,500 parts per million of fluoride.

 

Water fluoridation: A long-standing public health measure 

The practice of adding fluoride to drinking water began in 1945 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where it was first observed that communities with higher fluoride levels had lower rates of tooth decay. As of 2012, more than 67 per cent of Americans had access to fluoridated water. The US Health and Human Services Department updated its recommendations in 2011, setting a level of 0.7 milligrams per litre due to increased fluoride exposure from sources like toothpaste.

 

Addressing health concerns: Is fluoride safe? 

Fluoride’s benefits are backed by a wide range of health organisations, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which ranks water fluoridation among the top ten public health interventions of the 20th century. While extremely high fluoride levels can cause conditions like skeletal or dental fluorosis, these issues are linked to long-term exposure far above the regulated levels in drinking water. As Jones noted, “Everything is a poison at high enough levels – even water”.

 

Although a 2023 review from the US National Toxicology Program suggested a possible link between elevated fluoride levels (above 1.5 milligrams per litre) and reduced IQ in children, experts emphasise that these findings are inconclusive, with studies showing a high risk of bias.

 

Fluoridation worldwide: The global perspective 

Around the world, fluoridated water benefits an estimated 435 million people in countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Brazil. Do of the University of Queensland explained fluoride in water helps reduce disparities in dental health, providing accessible prevention in areas with limited dental services.

 

What Trump’s potential policy change could mean 

If Trump’s administration moves forward with a policy to end water fluoridation, the United States would join a handful of regions that have reversed such measures. In Calgary, Canada, for example, the decision to end water fluoridation in 2011 led to a noticeable increase in dental cavities in children. In Israel, halting fluoridation in 2014 was followed by a rise in dental treatments. Germany discontinued water fluoridation in the 1970s but introduced fluoridated salt in 1991 as an alternative.

 

Though Trump told NBC News he and Kennedy had not formally discussed fluoridation, he said the proposal “sounds OK to me”.