Warren Releases New Data Revealing RFK Jr.’s Fluoride Crusade Threatens Military Readiness

Pentagon data shows nearly 10% of service members cannot be deployed due to dental issues
Department of Health and Human Services did not consult with the military before announcing intention to direct CDC to stop recommending fluoridation of drinking water
Washington, D.C.– Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released new data from the Department of Defense (DoD) revealing the impact of dental emergencies on military readiness. The new data also makes clear that Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’sreported planto direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending water fluoridation may lead to a substantial rise in dental decay for service members and their families. Senator Warren firstpressedDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth about this concern in May 2025.
The Pentagon’s responses revealed:
“Our military is already falling short on delivering high quality dental care for our service members, and Secretary Kennedy’s fluoride crusade is threatening to worsen this crisis and hurt our military’s ability to deploy where they’re needed,”said Senator Warren. “Our government should be focused on improving dental health access for our service members, not pushing anti-science conspiracies. I’m going to continue holding Secretary Kennedy accountable for his disastrous policies.”
In 2011, the Department of Defense found that “dental decay continues to be a major problem for military personnel and is a significant reason for personnel to be classified as non-deployable.” President Trump’s Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness recently told Senator Warren that, “dental health issues are often the largest cause of non-deployability within a military unit.” Until now, the extent of the burden of dental issues on military readiness was not known.
In response to the Pentagon’s findings,Air Force Chief of Staff General Kenneth Wilsbach said, “[B]enefits of optimally fluoridated drinking water have been proven repeatedly…The Air Force Surgeon General supports maintaining fluoridated water systems in accordance with the 2013 DoW policy and the AF dental community strongly advocates to continue the policy of optimally fluoridated water on DoW installations.”
Senator Warren has led work to improve servicemembers’ access to health care:
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