Fluoride has been added to public water systems across the world for decades to help prevent cavities, which can reduce oral health disparities. Social media posts from former U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claim fluoride is associated with slew of health issues, including arthritis, IQ loss and thyroid disease. These claims are misleading. Recent research suggests there is a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ, or intelligence quotient, in kids but that involves ingesting fluoride at levels twice the amount recommended for drinking water.
In the Nov. 2 shared on X, formerly Twitter, Kennedy claims, "fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease," without providing proof of the assertations. He goes on to say that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will, "advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water."
In a followup post, Kennedy likens fluoride to a "dangerous neurotoxin."
The initial post has 23.4 million views and has been reposted 58,000 times as of publication.
Rating: Misleading
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral used in many dental products.
Water fluoridation was first introduced in the United States in 1945. At the time, federal officials endorsed the practice to prevent tooth decay, and continued to promote it after fluoride toothpaste brands hit shelves several years later.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has named the process one of the . The agency says community water fluoridation benefits all members of a community by preventing cavities, reducing oral health disparities and saving money for everyone.
The has suggested a fluoride level of 0.5-1.5 milligrams per litre dependent on the location and use of other products with fluoride. Excessive fluoride intake can occur in warmer climates where water consumption is greater or where high-fluoride water is used in food preparation or irrigation of crops.
Current research indicates exposure to excessive levels of fluoride may lead to dental fluorosis, a form of tooth discoloration that can, in some cases cause physical damage to the tooth, or skeletal fluorosis, a hardening of the bones and joints.
The World Health Organization, in a 2019 , said the global prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis was not entirely clear. It was estimated in 2006 that excessive fluoride concentrations in drinking water had caused tens of millions of dental and skeletal fluorosis cases worldwide over a range of years.
Data on fluoride and its potential link to bone fractures, bone cancer and thyroid disease is limited. In cases where researchers are looking at the impacts of ingesting fluoride, the risk appears at levels higher than what is suggested for water fluoridation.
U.S. report
A from the U.S. government's ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Toxicology Program released this past summer concluded with "moderate confidence" that fluoride in drinking water at twice the recommended limit is linked with lower IQ in children.
The agency examined previously published scientific studies, including two from Canada, on the association between fluoride exposure and neurodevelopment and cognition to come to its conclusions.
The group concluded that higher levels of fluoride exposure, such as drinking water containing more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per litre, are associated with lower IQ in children.
The agency noted there was insufficient data to determine if the low fluoride level of 0.7 milligrams per litre recommended for U.S. community water supplies has a negative effect on children's IQ and that more research is needed to better understand if there are health risks associated with low fluoride levels.
In September, a U.S. federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water over concerns high levels could pose neurodevelopmental risks to children, The Associated Press . The ruling didn't say that it's certain the amount of fluoride typically added to water is causing lower IQ in children, only that research indicates there's a risk that it could be.
Fluoride in Canada
Water fluoridation has been used in drinking water supplies for 70 years. The process is supported by Health Canada.
The recommended fluoride concentration in Canada is 0.7 milligrams per litre.
The Public Health Agency of Canada in spite of its robust policy and scientific endorsement, there are a number of municipalities across Canada who have discontinued water fluoridation.
Calgary removed fluoride from its drinking water in 2011. A plan to reintroduce it was supposed to be completed this year but has been pushed to 2025 due to delays in infrastructure upgrades.
Sources
X post can be found ()
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– World Health Organization ()
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– Public Health Agency of Canada ()
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