Explained: what is fluoride and why is it in drinking water?
Kennedy, a prominent proponent of debunked public health claims that Trump has promised to “take care of health” in his administration, made the statement about with a variety of health problems.
Fluoride is a compound that is naturally present in groundwater, water sources and plants. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water is widely regarded as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, due to its role in preventing tooth decay.
What is fluoride?
Fluoride is a mineral that occurs widely in nature and is released from rocks into soil and water. Certain plants – including those consumed by humans, such as tea – absorb and concentrate fluoride.
“It is not an industrial waste product. It is a natural substance,” says Prof. Oliver Jones, professor of chemistry at RMIT University.
Fluoride has been added to drinking water and toothpaste for decades because it strengthens teeth and prevents cavities.
When fluoride is incorporated into tooth enamel, it forms a mineral known as fluorapatite, which is more resistant to acids, says Prof Loc Do, professor of dental public health at the University of Queensland. “It makes the enamel more resistant to bacteria that cause decay,” he said.
The World Health Organization’s safe limit for fluoride in drinking water is 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water – or 1.5 parts per million. The typical concentration of fluoride in regular toothpaste is between 1000 and 1500 parts per million.
How long is fluoride added to drinking water?
In the early 20th century, dentists noticed that tooth decay rates were lower in areas where people had patchy discolorations on their teeth – a condition caused by too much fluoride and now known as dental fluorosis. They realized that areas with naturally higher levels of fluoride in the water had less tooth decay.
In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first place in the world to add fluoride to its drinking water. Fluoridation in the US is not mandatory and is done on a voluntary basis, but in 2012 more than 67% of the total US population had access to fluoridated tap water.
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lowered the recommended level of fluoride in drinking water to 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter – 0.7 parts per million. Five decades earlier, the upper limit was 1.2.
Does fluoride in water have health effects? Is it safe?
A number of international health agencies have endorsed fluoride in drinking water as effective and safe. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed fluoridation as one of the 10 Major Public Health Interventions of the 20th Century.
Contrary to Kennedy’s claims, studies have found no evidence linking fluoride in regular drinking water to conditions such as osteoporosis, bone fractures or cancer.
As with any chemical compound, ingesting high amounts of fluoride can have adverse effects, such as dental fluorosis – a condition indicated by discoloration of the teeth – and skeletal fluorosis, a condition in which fluoride is absorbed into the bones. These only occur with chronic exposure to fluoride at levels much higher than safe drinking limits.
“Everything is a poison if the level is high enough – even water,” Jones said.
In August, the U.S. National Toxicology Program released a review suggesting a link between fluoride exposure above 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water and lower IQ in children. However, experts have pointed out that there is a lack of high-quality research on this topic.
“Some studies … were considered to be at high risk of bias in other systematic reviews,” Do said. Do your own research found no association between drinking fluoridated water before age 5 and changes in behavioral development or executive functioning.
Which countries add fluoride to water?
Dozens of countries worldwide artificially fluoridate drinking water. As of 2012, approximately 435 million people worldwide have access to water with fluoride at recommended levels.
The US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Brazil are all among the countries adding fluoride to water in at least some regions.
Said adding fluoride to water was a good method to reduce socio-economic inequality in dental health. “It is a passive way to reduce dental caries.”
What could change if Donald Trump wins the US elections?
Kennedy, whom Donald Trump has pledged to lead on health initiatives, said Saturday that the Republican would push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day in office if he were elected president.
Kennedy has emerged as one of Trump’s top surrogates after withdrawing as an independent candidate. On Sunday, Trump told NBC News that he and Kennedy did not discuss fluoride, but that the plan “sounds good to me.”
Why was fluoride removed from water in the past and what was the effect?
Authorities in several jurisdictions have removed fluoride from drinking water by public mandate, as in Calgary, Canada in 2011, or by ministerial decision, as in Israel in 2014.
Research shows that dental cavities in children rose in Calgary after the end of fluoridation, while rates for dental treatments increased significantly in Israel. Calgary will reintroduce fluoridation in 2025.
Germany stopped fluoridating its water in the 1970s and has never reintroduced it, but it has since 1991. sold salt with added fluoride.