Since July 1, 2025, a Florida law has prohibited adding fluoride to public water systems. In Miami-Dade, the county water department stopped adding it on May 29, 2025, although the water still contains trace amounts of natural fluoride. Your family can still get fluoride in other ways: fluoride toothpaste, fluoride varnish at the dentist or pediatrician, and regular checkups.
It is normal to have questions when something as everyday as tap water changes. Here is what changed and what you can do.
The change is part of Senate Bill 700 (2025), a broad bill about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The governor approved it on May 15, 2025, and it took effect on July 1, 2025 (Laws of Florida, ch. 2025-22).
The law does not name fluoride. It prohibits any additive in a public water system that is not a "water quality additive": one used to meet drinking water standards, remove contaminants or improve water quality. Fluoride was added to prevent cavities, so water utilities stopped adding it. The cities of Homestead and Pembroke Pines explained it this way, and WLRN reported the same.
In April 2025, the County Commission voted to stop adding fluoride, which the county had added since 1958 (WUSF). The mayor vetoed that vote, and the commission voted again in May 2025 to end fluoridation (WLRN). The Water and Sewer Department (WASD) announced that it stopped on May 29, 2025, in a notice shared by local governments such as North Bay Village. The notice explains that trace amounts of natural fluoride remain in the water.
Yes, for fluoride supplements that are swallowed (drops or tablets). On October 31, 2025, the FDA announced action against these unapproved products when labeled for children under 3, or for older children at low or moderate risk of tooth decay. It recommends limiting them to children 3 and older at high risk of tooth decay (FDA). This does not cover toothpaste or varnish.
According to the NIDCR, fluoride strengthens enamel, the hard outer layer of the tooth. It also helps reverse early decay by replacing lost minerals. It works at every age.
The CDC says fluoridated water reduces cavities by about 25% in children and adults, and that the recommended U.S. level is 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L). The good news: fluoride toothpaste is the most widely used fluoride product in the country (CDC), and it is still on the shelf.
One note: the NIDCR advises checking with a dentist or doctor before using fluoride toothpaste for children under 2. Ask at your baby's first visit.
Fluoride varnish is concentrated fluoride that a dentist or pediatrician paints on the teeth, and it needs to be reapplied regularly. According to the CDC, it can prevent about one-third (33%) of cavities in baby teeth.
Do not give them on your own. Ask your pediatrician or dentist whether your child needs them, keeping in mind what the FDA now advises: not under age 3, and for older children only when the risk of tooth decay is high.
Some adults have a higher risk of cavities and may benefit from extra fluoride, if their dentist recommends it:
A dental cleaning and checkup is a good time to ask about your risk and your options.
It happens when a child gets too much fluoride while permanent teeth are forming, up to about age 8. According to the CDC, in the U.S. it is usually mild: faint white spots or lines. It is not painful and does not affect how the tooth works. That is why measuring toothpaste for young children matters.
In August 2024, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) concluded, with moderate confidence, that higher fluoride exposure is associated with lower IQ in children. It referred to drinking water above 1.5 mg/L, more than twice the recommended U.S. level of 0.7 mg/L. The report says there was not enough data to know whether 0.7 mg/L affects IQ, and calls for more research.
The bottom line: the water changed, but fluoride toothpaste and varnish are still available. Each family can decide, with their dentist and pediatrician, what they need.
If there is severe pain or facial swelling, call your dentist the same day. More in dental emergency in Kendall: what to do.
PureSmile Miami opens on November 2, 2026, at 8000 SW 117th Ave, Suite 100, in Kendall. We are a family dental clinic, and prevention is the core of every checkup. At the first visit, our dentist examines teeth and gums, assesses cavity risk and walks you through your X-rays to explain whether fluoride varnish or another step makes sense, and why. We see patients in English or Spanish, verify your insurance for free and give you a written treatment plan before we start.
Join the waitlist or call us at (305) 787-3642.
The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) stopped adding fluoride on May 29, 2025. The water still contains trace amounts of natural fluoride.
SB 700 took effect on July 1, 2025. Some utilities, including Miami-Dade's, stopped earlier.
A grain-of-rice smear under age 3, and a pea-sized amount from 3 to 6. For children under 2, ask a dentist or doctor first (NIDCR).
It is concentrated fluoride that a dentist or pediatrician paints on the teeth. The USPSTF recommends it for children younger than 5, starting when baby teeth come in.
Some does, but many brands do not (NIDCR). Check the label or ask the manufacturer.
General information; not a substitute for an in-person evaluation. Sources: Florida Senate (SB 700, 2025); Laws of Florida, ch. 2025-22; Miami-Dade WASD; WUSF; WLRN; FDA; CDC; NIDCR; NTP; USPSTF; American Academy of Pediatrics; AAPD; ADA. Yoan Suárez Zayas, DMD · FL Lic. DN 21413.
