On August 31, 2026, civil rights leader and former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young sent a joint letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and to National Kidney Foundation CEO Kevin Longino and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Vassalotti. He asked each organization to openly and publicly oppose adding fluoride to drinking water.
Ambassador Young’s father and brother were dentists, and he once supported fluoridation. He writes that he changed his mind as evidence grew that ingested fluoride affects organs well beyond the teeth. He frames the issue as one of civil rights and fairness.
Read Ambassador Young’s full letter (PDF)
Why Kidney Patients Are at Particular Risk
The letter points to the National Research Council’s identification of kidney patients, diabetics, and seniors as “susceptible subpopulations” who are especially vulnerable to fluoride. The kidneys are the body’s main route for clearing fluoride. When they are impaired, fluoride can build up in the body.
The letter also notes a contradiction. Water used in dialysis machines is filtered to remove fluoride, yet dialysis patients go home and drink fluoridated tap water. Many cannot afford a home filtration system, and many may not know about the risk.
Ambassador Young also highlights who bears the burden. Kidney disease now affects roughly 1 in 7 American adults. Black Americans make up about 13% of the population but more than 35% of dialysis patients, and Latino communities are also disproportionately affected. He argues that people in susceptible groups should be warned clearly and publicly, and that economically disadvantaged families should not bear the cost of avoiding fluoride.
Fluoride Harm Is Not Only Cosmetic
Dental fluorosis, the staining and pitting of tooth enamel caused by too much fluoride, is the most visible sign of overexposure. Nidel & Nace filed two lawsuits on behalf of individuals claiming dental injury from fluorosis: one against Nestlé Waters North America, and one against the maker of Nursery Water. To our knowledge, these were the first cases of their kind filed by any law firm. Read more about those cases.
As Ambassador Young’s letter underscores, the concern does not stop at the teeth. Researchers continue to study fluoride’s effects on the kidneys, bones, thyroid, and brain.
If you or a family member has been diagnosed with dental fluorosis, or you have kidney disease and questions about fluoride exposure, please complete our Fluoride Questionnaire.
