Utah is set to become the first U.S. state to ban the use of fluoride in public water systems after Utah Governor Spencer Cox said he would sign legislation to that effect. The use of the mineral, which is added to water to strengthen tooth enamel and promote dental health,

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah will become the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, despite widespread opposition from dentists and national health organizations. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox said he would sign legislation that bars cities and communities from deciding whether to add the mineral to their water systems.

Utah could soon become the first state in the US to ban fluoride from being added to public drinking water, after members of the state legislature approved a bill that would do so. The bill, HB81, was passed by the Utah House of Representatives on February 7 and by the State Senate on February 21.