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.

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 Gov. Spencer Cox (Rep.) plans to sign a bill from his state's House and Senate that would ban adding fluoride to public water systems. If Cox signs the bill, H.B. 81, it would go into effect on May 7.

Governor Spencer Cox is set to approve Utah’s ban on fluoride in public water despite longstanding public health support for fluoridation. Experts warn the move could lead to more cavities, especially in vulnerable communities.

Utah has passed a law banning fluoridated water. The state’s governor says he will sign the bill, despite objections from the health care community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called the addition of fluoride to drinking water one of the 10 best public-health achievements of the 20th century.