The ongoing war in Iran and resulting shipping bottlenecks in the Middle East have triggered a national shortage of fluoride, forcing several U.S. municipalities to scale back their use of the chemical. Water systems serving the Baltimore and suburban D.C. areas recently reduced their concentration levels, while a Pennsylvania town temporarily halted fluoridation entirely. Trade groups and chemical distributors attribute the scarcity to unpredictable ocean freight surcharges and the market withdrawal of Israel, the world's second-largest exporter of fluorosilicic acid. While the Environmental Protection Agency states it is actively helping water utilities navigate these disruptions, the shortage arrives amid growing political
