The debate around whether fluoride should be added to tap water has been ongoing for almost 80 years. Government agencies argue that fluoride helps prevent tooth decay, while opponents are concerned about potential health risks. Recently, there has been some progress in the EPA fluoride lawsuit, which has raised questions about the safety of adding fluoride to drinking water.
Some research suggests that fluoride should have been under scrutiny long ago because of a possible link between high levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ scores and between fluoride and sleep patterns.
A Tale of 2 Villages
In 2003, a study (pdf) was conducted in the rural townships of Xinhuai and Wamiao in Jiangsu Province, China, located north of Shanghai. The two villages had significantly different fluoride concentration levels in their drinking water, with Xinhuai at approximately 0.91 milligrams per liter (mg/L) and Wamiao at around 4.12 mg/L. For reference, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends a level no higher than 0.7 mg/L of fluoride in drinking water….