Is fluoride in drinking water safe?

Question

"The recommended fluoride concentration in drinking water is 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, which is about equal to 3 drops in a 55-gallon barrel, according to the CDC. 

In 2015, officials lowered the recommendation for drinking water fluoride levels to address fluorosis, a condition that can cause discoloration on teeth."

Answer 1

Regarding fluoride's effectiveness at strengthening enamel and preventing tooth decay, the article cites reliable sources like the World Health Organization. The hyperlink it provides redirects to a page that specifically states fluoride's use in tooth disease prevention.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sugars-and-dental-caries#:~:text=Severe%20dental%20caries%20can%20impair%20quality%20of,chronic%20systemic%20infection%20or%20adverse%20growth%20patterns.&text=Early%20stages%20are%20often%20without%20symptoms%2C%20but,pain%2C%20infections%20and%20abscesses%2C%20or%20even%20sepsis.

The article's mention the concern with fluoride is also correct. The article states that the NIH report states that " 'with moderate confidence' that there is a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids", when it is double the US standard. The NIH report states that "there were insufficient data to determine if the low fluoride level of 0.7 mg/L currently recommended for U.S. community water supplies has a negative effect on children’s IQ", and the "higher levels of fluoride" mentioned in this article is “ higher than 1.5 mg fluoride/L of drinking water”, which is double the US fluoride level. The NIH report's ground for determining higher levels of fluoride is that studies in non-US countires find drinking  higher than 1.5 mg fluoride/L has some effect on IQ.

https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whatwestudy/assessments/noncancer/completed/fluoride

Comments

I think your evidence regarding the claims and the sources used are very good!! One thing that I believe would make this post even better is the verification of whether your sources are reliable. Otherwise, great job!

Answer 2

Fluoride is a mineral that strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by repairing and preventing damage caused by bacteria that produce acid, which can dissolve tooth minerals and lead to tooth loss, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the biggest points of controversy about fluoride arose from a 1990 study by the US National Toxicology Program, which found "equivocal" evidence showing that drinking fluoridated water caused increased incidence of bone cancer in male rats. However, it should be noted that this phenomenon was not observed in female rats or in mice. Research by various other health organizations have also concluded that as long as fluoride levels in drinking water are within optimal range (0.7 milligrams per liter of water), the chemical is not considered a cancer risk. 

Comments

I appreciate this comment in response to the claim, "Is fluoride in drinking water safe?” Helpful because it gave an example of how studies can be blown out of proportion and not apply to other species, via the 1990 study mentioned by American Cancer Society that studied the effects of fluoride on male rats which then led people to apply this specific research with only male mice, a much higher fluoride to body ratio, to humans and fluoride in drinking water. This helped me understand not only the claim but making me keep in mind studies can be taken out of proportion and should be thoroughly evaluated before accepting.

Answer 3

When discussing whether fluoride is safe in drinking water, the most important factor to consider is the concentration. Since 1945, fluoride has been added to drinking water, preventing tooth decay. Now, fluoride is present in at least 75% of drinking water at the current recommended fluoride concentration in drinking water is 0.7 mg per liter of water. However, RFK and others have concerns that fluoride is not safe for the general public.

These concerns are not entirely baseless. The EPA has found that greater than 2.0mg/L may cause dental fluorosis in younger children, and greater than 4.0mg/L in adults and children for a long period of time may cause skeletal fluorosis. With this knowledge, one may conclude that a certain concentration of fluoride may be harmful. However, the standard of 0.7mg/L is under both these guidelines, meaning the fluoride present in drinking water is safe. Even with additional fluoride intake from other sources, such as dental hygiene products, it would be difficult to intake more than 2.0mg/L daily.

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/chemicals/water-fluoridation-and-cancer-risk.html

Others note concerns about osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. These concerns come from a study of lab animals by the NTP in 1990, which found uncertain evidence of fluoride drinking water causing osteosarcoma in male rats. However, this was not found in female rats or male and female mice, and because osteosarcoma is so rare in the general populace, it is difficult to do more research on its association with fluoride intake. Thus, the European Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks concluded in 2010 that the evidence linking fluoride in water to osteosarcoma was not significant enough to classify fluoride as a carcinogen. 

The article also references an NIH study from 2024 which concluded with moderate conference that there is a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ. However, this study was conducted at fluoride levels about twice the recommended limit, meaning it does not deem the level of fluoride in drinking water as harmful.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fluoride-in-water-health/

Thus, the industry standard of fluoride concentrations at 0.7mg/L of drinking water is not harmful.

Answer 4

According to Johns Hopkins school of public health, fluoride is a helpful agent in removing any cavities and protecting the overall health of teeth. With this being said, there are concerns that overuse of fluoride can cause a condition where bones begin to become more brittle, making them more prone to damage (skeletal fluorosis). There has been ongoing research regarding whether fluoride is connected to major health risks, but in conclusion it seems to be connected only when there's extreme consumption of fluoride. There was further questioning as to if fluoride damages IQ's. This was quickly proven to be wrong due to studies such as https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37120936/. This study used 8 different methods of collecting data and used the average mean to calculate that with low levels of fluoride (what is the typical amount found in water) there is no affect on the health or IQ of youth. Due to this source being a public health summary and study I believe it has no bias and is a reliable source. Along with the study, the Johns Hopkins article is an unbiased and reliable source due to in being directly sourced through the school of public health and reviewed. In all, the low amount of fluoride detected in water on average has no direct affect on health issues, therefore answering the question of "is fluoride in drinking water safe?" as yes it is! 

Johns Hopkins Article https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2024/why-is-fluoride-in-our-water

Answer 5

The article from CBS News goes over the ban in Utah based off RFK J’s claims on the harm of fluoride in public water. RFK Jr. stated on X, “Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease.” According to CBS News, dental experts mostly disagree with this claim.

In a study done by the Environmental Health Journal, they concluded that 1.5 mg/L or more of fluoride in drinking water indicated an increase of fractures, particularly with a higher risk in postmenopausal women. An article from Harvard School of Public Health relayed that U.S. Health and Human Services planned to lower the fluoride level from 1.0 mg/L in 2015, which is when fluorosis was becoming more apparent. The CDC states, “Drinking fluoridated water keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities by about 25% in children and adults.”

The Environmental health study done on the association between fluoride and bone density along with fracture risk concluded that higher levels of fluoride contribute to increased risk in fractures, with postmenopausal women being more susceptible.

The association of fluoride exposure with bone density and fracture risk: a dose-response meta-analysis | Environmental Health | Full Text

The Harvard School of Public Health covered the U.S. Health and Human Services wanting to decrease the fluoride levels in water in 2015 due to a higher prominence of fluorosis in citizens.

A call for reducing fluoride levels in drinking water | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

The CDC covers how the process of fluoride being in water systems works along with evidence supporting the positive effects of including it in public water systems.

About Community Water Fluoridation | Fluoridation | CDC

RFK Jr. isn’t wrong in the fact that fluoride can be harmful, but completely getting rid of it in water systems would contribute to an increase in health costs for citizens and the health care system. Fluoride can be harmful, but in moderation it poses more benefits in health and for citizens then without it.