One of the most common elements on Earth, fluoride is naturally present in human bodies and water, and common in toothpaste and mouthwash. And for decades, the mineral has been added to the water supplies of thousands of communities across the United States to help prevent dental cavities and decay.

NEW YORK — For about 50 years, adding cavity-preventing fluoride to drinking water was a popular public health measure in Yorktown, a leafy town north of New York City. But in September, the town’s supervisor used his emergency powers to stop the practice.

But on social media site X, he said that when he is in position, the White House would advise all US water systems to remove fluoride from public water systems, stating: “Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures ...

Florida’s Surgeon General is the latest high-profile politician to advise against adding fluoride to drinking water. For decades it’s been credited with keeping teeth healthy, but now some are starting to question if it is necessary or even harmful in high doses.