The American Dental Association has reaffirmed its stance on the benefits of water fluoridation, citing a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics.
The new article, "Fluoride Exposure and Children’s IQ Scores: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis", does not provide any new evidence that would change the ADA's current community water fluoridation practices, according to a Jan. 6 news release from the organization.
In addition to the article, the release cited an accompanying commentary developed by Steven Levy, DDS, a fluoride intake expert, pointing to the main takeaway. Dr. Levy claimed that while there are concerns about biases and other methodological flaws, the report did not find any connection between lower IQ and fluoride intake at the current recommended levels.
In August, the National Toxicology Program released a report claiming that there is a connection between high levels of fluoride and lower IQ in children. The study was mostly based on countries outside of the U.S. and individuals who received total fluoride exposure amounts higher than 1.5 mg fluoride per liter of drinking water.
The U.S. Public Health Service currently recommends 0.7 mg fluoride per liter of drinking water.