Fluoride-laden drinking water stunting children’s IQ, EPA must respond

Fluoride putting children at risk

Many Americans are waiting with bated breath for the EPA's response to new information connecting fluoride-laden drinking water with lowered IQ scores in children.

Edward M. Chen of the US District Court for the Northern District of California believes the EPA must initiate a response and address the harmful effects this mineral may be having on public health. Currently, US health agencies recommend adding 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of fluoride to drinking water, which poses significant risk to consumers.¹

In 2006, the federal government's primary scientific advisory institute urged the EPA to lower its enforceable maximum contaminant limit (MCL) of 4 mg/L of fluoride in drinking water to protect children. Although the EPA claimed it would initiate a review of that limit in 2011, the maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) remained the same.¹

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) recently released a report correlating high levels of fluoride with lower intelligence scores in children. This report examined previously published research, which found that drinking water with more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter is associated with a lower IQ.² Epidemiology studies in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, and Mexico were used to support this conclusion.²

Now what?

Although adding fluoride to drinking water to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities has been a common practice for decades,² the risk of maintaining such high levels of fluoride is too high given the vast size of the population exposed to this mineral.¹ According to Chen, "approximately two million pregnant women, and over 300,000 exclusively formula-fed babies are exposed." Even the current, "optimal" dose of 0.7 mg/L is almost double the safe level of exposure for pregnant women and newborns.¹

Currently, the only thing to do is await the EPA's rulemaking proceedings. As more evidence surfaces, it becomes increasingly urgent for the EPA to take definitive action to protect the public—especially children—from the risks associated with excessive fluoride.

References

1. Rizzuto P. EPA must reduce fluoride's IQ risks to children, court says. Bloomberg Law. September 2024. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/epa-must-reduce-fluorides-risks-to-childrens-iq-court-says

2. Irwin L. US agency links high fluoride exposure to lower IQ in kids. The Hill. August 2024. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4842470-fluoride-drinking-water-low-iq-children-hhs/