Fluoride in US drinking water poses an “unreasonable risk” to children’s brains, according to a federal judge who has asked the government to intervene.
Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco has asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to further regulate fluoride in tap water because of mounting evidence that it lowers children’s IQ.
It did not say what action should be taken, but an EPA spokesman told DailyMail.com they were now reviewing the decision.
In his ruling, Chen said: “The scientific literature in the record provides a high level of certainty that a hazard exists; fluoride is associated with reduced IQ.”
The issue of fluoride in tap water is controversial because its introduction is considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century due to its effectiveness in reducing tooth decay in children.
The map above shows estimated fluoride concentrations in community water systems from 2006 to 2011. It was published in 2023. Counties that are in red have more than twice the recommended level of fluoride in their water.
The court did not conclude with certainty that fluoride harms children’s brains, but said it posed an “unreasonable risk” that the EPA should investigate.
More than 200 million Americans drink water containing fluoride, or 75 percent of the population, more than any other country in the world.
The mineral was added in the 1970s after studies showed it could prevent cavities, and the CDC now estimates it saves $6.5 billion each year in dental costs.
But a landmark government report released last month also warned that the mineral could damage children’s IQs in high concentrations.
The results linked the highest levels with a five-point drop.
The ruling was handed down in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Tuesday.
Michael Connett, the attorney for the advocacy groups that asked the courts to review the new fluoride report, said in a statement Wednesday: “The court’s landmark decision should help pave the way toward better, safer fluoride standards for everyone.
A spokesperson for the Fluoride Action Network (FAN) added: ‘History has been made.
‘After seven years of legal action against the EPA over the risks to brain development posed by the practice of water fluoridation, the court has just ruled in favor of FAN and the plaintiffs in a precedent-setting court case.’
The EPA currently says fluoride levels should not exceed 4 mg/L to prevent skeletal fluorosis, a potentially crippling disorder that causes weaker bones.
But in 2006, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the federal government’s chief scientific advisory institute, recommended that the EPA lower its limit to protect children.
There has been controversy over fluoride in the water supply for years, with hundreds of communities voting against its use (above is a campaign sign from Kennebunk, Maine).
The image above from the court case shows Michael Connett, the defense group’s attorney.
The World Health Organization says the safe limit is about 1.5 mg/L.
And the Government report published last month found that when fluoride levels are above 1.5 mg/L it can cause damage to children’s IQ.
For comparison, most areas in the US currently fluoridate their water supplies to about 0.7 mg/L.
This level is well above the safe limit for pregnant women suggested by some studies, of about 0.4 mg/L. Bottled water often contains no fluoride.
The court case was filed by Food and Water Watch and FAN, among other groups, after the EPA rejected a petition to ban the 75-year-old practice of adding fluoride to drinking water to prevent cavities.
Groups that have followed the case include dentists, water companies and lawyers specializing in chemical policies.
