Young people are being dangerously misled about fluoride and dental treatments by false claims spreading across social media, according to an organization that represents more than 8,000 dentists.

Among myths that have spread are that the fluoride added to water causes thyroid disease or lower IQs, according to the American Association of Endodontists.

A new survey finds that 45 percent of people aged 18-34 report that influencers, content creators, and peers are impacting decisions they make about their oral health.

“We are concerned that fear and misinformation is contributing to younger adults avoiding the dental chair,” AAE’s president, Dr. Steven J. Katz, says. “People who do not get routine dental care are at risk for serious tooth decay which can lead to overall health issues.”

Forty-two percent of respondents say they would only go to the dentist if they are experiencing pain in their mouth and 23 percent say they would trust a Google search for dental advice.

The survey also found nearly half of Gen Z respondents and millennials say they are afraid of having a root canal, compared with 38 percent among respondents overall.

For many younger people, that fear comes from what they have seen online – with Gen Z respondents and millennials reporting that they always or often struggle to distinguish between myths and facts when reading about dental health online.

Among common myths are that root canals make a patient more likely to become ill or contract a disease or that a root canal involves removing the roots of teeth.

The survey took place in late February after Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. took over as the Health and Human Services Secretary and was released Wednesday. Mr. Kennedy has espoused unconventional views on many public health matters, including going after fluoride in drinking water systems nationwide. He is also working to strip ingestible fluoride prescriptions from the market.

Mr. Kennedy says that fluoride is a “dangerous neurotoxin,” linking it to conditions such as arthritis, bone fractures, and thyroid disease. The American Dental Association says water fluoridation is safe and effective in preventing tooth decay for both children and adults.