Experts invalidate controversial study linking fluoride to low IQ
Experts continue to emphasize the safety and efficacy of consuming fluoridated drinking water following the publication of a study that suggests a link between high levels of fluoride (greater than 1.5 mg/L) and low IQ scores in children — which is more than twice the concentration used in U.S. water systems. The study has been assessed broadly as a weak analysis.
Amal Noureldin, Ph.D., director of predoctoral programs in the department of public health sciences at the Texas A&M University School of Dentistry, explained that fluoride is naturally found in the environment, including in the soil and water. The mineral has been added to community drinking water for years because of its tooth enamel-strengthening properties and has been shown to have very minimal risks.
Because the amount of fluoride present in drinking water (0.7 mg/L) is regulated, Dr. Noureldin emphasized that consuming tap water cannot cause fluoride-related toxicity. She also noted that the evidence presented in the study was reliant upon data from countries outside the United States with high naturally occurring levels of fluoride and has been widely criticized by the dental and scientific communities.
Read more: KBTX
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