Normally, when we read about fluoride, we expect to be learning about how to improve your dental health. So it was a surprise to discover two scientific articles that look into fluoride and children’s neurodevelopment.

(1) In August 2024, the Federal government released a monograph looking into the levels of fluoride and children’s IQs. The headlines of the general press may be quite disturbing as we read that high levels of fluoride in drinking water can lower our children’s IQ. It is important therefore to understand that this monograph was the result of compiling and reviewing a collection of studies with a wide range of content.

(2) In May 2024, a scientific study related to fluoride and neurobehavioral issues in young children was released.

These two articles will be especially of interest to families with young children.

ISSUE: Does my family need to look into our level of fluoride consumption?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s Issue, we offer you the following articles to get you started in your personal research. You are encouraged to be on the lookout in the future for related studies.

NTP Monograph on the State of the Science Concerning Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopment and Cognition: A Systemic Review (August 2024)
National Toxicology Program
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
“Method  A systematic review protocol was developed and utilized following the standardized OHAT systematic review approach for conducting literature-based health assessments. This monograph presents the current state of evidence associating fluoride exposure with cognitive or neurodevelopmental health effects and incorporated predefined assessments of study quality and confidence levels. Benefits of fluoride with respect to oral health are not addressed in this monograph.”

Fluoride Exposure: Neurodevelopment and Cognition (August 2024)
National Toxicology Program
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
“Findings  The NTP monograph concluded that higher levels of fluoride exposure, such as drinking water containing more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter, are associated with lower IQ in children. The NTP review was designed to evaluate total fluoride exposure from all sources and was not designed to evaluate the health effects of fluoridated drinking water alone. It is important to note, however, 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.”

National Toxicology Program releases fluoride exposure monograph (8/27/24)
by Olivia Anderson
ADA News
“The long-awaited report, which follows two previous drafts in 2019 and 2020, summarizes the available literature about a possible relationship between fluoride exposure, neurodevelopmental and cognitive health and IQ. The report’s authors acknowledge the findings are limited to fluoride exposures that are more than double (≥1.5 mg/L) what the CDC recommends for community water fluoridation (0.7 mg/L).”

US government report says fluoride at twice the recommended limit is linked to lower IQ in kids (8/23/24)
by Mike Stobbe
The Associated Press
“The report, based on an analysis of previously published research, marks the first time a federal agency has determined — “with moderate confidence” — that there is a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids. While the report was not designed to evaluate the health effects of fluoride in drinking water alone, it is a striking acknowledgment of a potential neurological risk from high levels of fluoride.”

Fluoride and IQ (8/23/24)
by Pien Huang, Will Stone
NPR
“The authors of the report gathered animal and human studies from around the world and weighed the available evidence. They conclude with moderate confidence that there is an association between higher levels of fluoride and lower IQ in children. The report didn’t quantify the effects, but some of the studies they included showed a decrease of a few IQ points.”

Study explores association between fluoride exposure in pregnancy and neurobehavioral issues in young children (5/20/24)
by Jill Pease
UF Health
“It is believed to be the first U.S.-based study to examine associations of prenatal fluoride exposure with parent-reported child neurobehavioral issues, which include symptoms of anxiety, difficulty regulating emotions and other complaints, such as stomachaches and headaches.”

Maternal Urinary Fluoride and Child Neurobehavior at Age 36 Months (5/20/24)
by Ashley J. Malin, PhD, Sandrah P. Eckel, PhD, Howard Ju, MD, et al
JAMA Network Open
“Conclusions and Relevance  In this prospective cohort study of mother-child pairs in Los Angeles, California, prenatal fluoride exposure was associated with increased neurobehavioral problems. These findings suggest that there may be a need to establish recommendations for limiting fluoride exposure during the prenatal period.”

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