President Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., wants to “Make America Health Again.” However, investors are betting that one of his pushes will be a boon for the dental industry’s profits.

Mr. Kennedy wants to get rid of fluoride in water because he says Americans “don’t need” it in their water, and it is a “very bad way to deliver it into our systems.” He has also called fluoride an “industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease.”

Fluoride has been added to many Americans’ water supply since 1945 because the mineral helps to prevent cavities and strengthen teeth. However, some investors see a chance to make a profit as more Americans may go to the dentist to fight tooth decay if fluoride is removed from the water.

Stock in a dental care supply company, Henry Schein, increased nearly 5 percent Monday — its best day since July, according to CNBC. The outlet also noted that other dental supply companies, such as Dentsply Sirona and Envista, saw their stocks rise as well.  

The head of research firm Gordon Haskett’s event-driven research, Don Bilson, said in a memo, “The thought here is RFK will bring to HHS a voice that is in favor of reducing, or eliminating, the amount of fluoridation that is added to drinking water.”

“This will, in turn, lead to an acceleration of tooth decay and more dental visits,” Mr. Bilson added.

The rally among dental stocks comes as biotech and pharmaceutical companies saw their stock prices drop following the announcement of Mr. Kennedy’s appointment to lead HHS amid concerns about his vaccine skepticism and the potential for added scrutiny of the industry. 

While there has been some evidence to link fluoride with lower IQ levels in children, the concentration of the mineral in those cases is higher than what is in drinking water. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that fluoride naturally occurs in water; however, state and local governments sometimes increase the fluoride concentration to help prevent cavities. The recommended fluoridation to help prevent tooth decay, according to the CDC, is about the same as three drops of water in a 55-gallon barrel. 

The deputy director at the Resnick Center for Food Law & Policy at UCLA School of Law, Diana Winters, told Axios, “The facts are that [fluoridation is] an enormous public health innovation and achievement over the past 70 years in reducing dental disease, especially in children and especially in populations that don’t have access to regular dental care.”

Local officials make the decision on fluoridation. However, the federal government’s recommendations can impact those decisions. Already, at least one town is getting ahead of the potential push by the federal government. Winter Haven, Florida, voted last week to remove fluoride from its drinking water. A city commissioner, Brad Dantzler, cited Mr. Kennedy’s comments when discussing the vote.

 “We may be at the front of it, but this issue is coming just based upon current events,” Mr. Dantzler said.