Utah appears to be the first state ready to put a full ban on fluoride in public water systems under a bill that doesn’t allow cities or communities to decide whether to add the cavity-preventing mineral.

Utah is set to become the first state to ban fluoride in public water systems, with a bill on the matter awaiting the governor’s approval.

Utah could be the first state to ban using fluoride in drinking water if it gets signed into law. Newsweek has contacted Gov. Spencer Cox, via email, for comment. Multiple states and local authorities have taken steps to remove fluoride from their water,

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.

HB81, a bill that bans fluoride in Utah's public water systems, raises concerns about impacts on underserved communities. Oral health professionals warn the bill could increase dental costs and worsen access to care for low-income residents.

The Utah governor’s signature is all that stands between a state ban on water fluoridation after House Bill 81 cleared its final hurdle in the legislature on Friday.