Fluoride May Be Linked to Decreased IQ, Says Limited Data, Hard-to-Interpret Study [Video]

Key Takeaways

Heavy fluoride exposure appears to slightly decrease IQ scores in childrenHowever, the exposure was at levels higher than those allowed in the U.S.Critics noted none of the studies took place in the U.S.

TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Fluoride exposure appears to slightly decrease IQ scores in children, a new federal meta-analysis has concluded — but not at the low levels recommended for U.S. drinking water.

Fluoride in drinking water was associated with reduced IQ scores at levels of less than 4 milligrams per liter, but not at less than 1.5 mg/L, according to the analysis by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

The recommended level of fluoride in U.S. drinking water is 0.7 mg/L, the U.S. Public Health Service says.

“There were limited data and uncertainty in the dose-response association between fluoride exposure and children’s IQ when fluoride exposure was estimated by drinking water alone …