Fluoride is Safe
Did you know that fluoridated water contains extremely low, but highly beneficial amounts of fluoride?
Fluoridated water is safe drinking water.
Scientists and health professionals around the world support community water fluoridation and attest to its safety.
The facts supporting the safety of fluoridated water are overwhelming.
Fluoride levels found in fluoridated water are well within the safe levels issued by the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) and Environmental Protection Agency.
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act and its amendments (1974, 1986, and 1996), the EPA establishes safe drinking water standards. In early 2006, a report, “Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA’s Standards”, was issued by the National Research Council’s Committee on Fluoride in Drinking Water. The report addresses the safety of high levels of fluoride in water that occur naturally, and does not question the use of lower levels of fluoride to prevent tooth decay. The committee concluded that the current MCLG of 4 mg/L should be lowered to better protect people from the health risks associated with high natural fluoride levels.
The NRC committee's conclusions concerning the potential for adverse health effects were focused on exposure to fluoride at levels of 2 mg/L and higher. The findings are consistent with CDC’s assessment that water is safe and healthy at the levels used for water fluoridation (0.7 mg/L-1.2 mg/L). The recommendations from CDC remain the same — that community water fluoridation is safe and effective for preventing tooth decay. 14 The overwhelming weight of evidence connects fluoridation with improvements in dental health.
Opponents of fluoridation link fluorosis to drinking fluoridated water. However, most cases of fluorosis documented by the CDC are caused by things other than fluoridated water, such as swallowing toothpaste. Toothpaste contains 1,000 to 1,500 times more fluoride than optimally fluoridated water.
Contrary to what opponents of fluoridation state, research shows that when water is optimally fluoridated to approximately 1 part per million, bone health is also improved.
Community fluoridation does not affect water quality, and you can safely drink as much as you want. More than 170 million Americans consume fluoridated water with no negative health impacts.
“Since the 1950s, each U.S. Public Health Service Surgeon General has committed his or her support for community water fluoridation..”
6
“I am proud of my family’s healthy lifestyle and yet my children have needed a lot of dental work. I grew up in a fluoridated city and never had this kind of dental decay. All kids need the benefits of fluoridation, no matter where they live.”
- Mother of three, Washington State
