A federal judge ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must address the impact that fluoride has in drinking water, according to a Sept. 26 news release.
Here are five additional notes:
1. The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Edward Chen does not ban or limit the addition of fluoride to public drinking water supplies, just that the EPA is required to take action on the matter.
2. The Department of Health and Human Services' National Toxicology Program released a report in August stating that drinking water with more than double the recommended limit has been associated with lower IQ levels in children.
3. Multiple advocacy groups petitioned the EPA to consider whether fluoridated water presents a health risk.
4. The judge did not specify what the EPA's response must be, but rather that the EPA has to make some kind of response. He also said that his ruling does not "conclude with certainty" that fluoridated water is harmful, but the EPA must respond due to the potential risks.
5. Both the American Dental Association and American Dental Hygienists Association reaffirmed their support for water fluoridation following the report.