Is flouridated water harmful for health? What the research says.

Summary

Some studies suggest fluoridated water can improve dental health and bone strength, while others indicate it may cause reproductive toxicity, skeletal fluorosis, and harm to young consumers.

Introduction

The topic of fluoridated water and its potential health impacts has been widely debated. While fluoride is known for its benefits in preventing dental decay, concerns have been raised about its possible adverse effects on health. This synthesis presents a cohesive analysis of the research findings on whether fluoridated water is harmful.

Safety: Numerous studies and reviews by health organisations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Dental Association (ADA), have affirmed that water fluoridation is safe at the recommended levels (typically around 0.7 mg/L or parts per million).

Key Insights

• Dental Health Benefits

  • Fluoride in drinking water has a well-established positive effect on dental health, helping to prevent dental decay. Read my deep dive here.

• Bone Health

  • Fluoridated water can increase bone strength, as evidenced by increased bone ash percentages and bone strength in broilers provided with fluoridated water.

• Cognitive and Economic Effects

  • Studies have shown no significant effect of fluoride on cognitive ability. Additionally, fluoride exposure has been linked to increased labour income, particularly among individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

• Reproductive Health Risks

  • Fluoride exposure can induce mitochondrial impairment and excessive mitophagy in testicular cells, particularly in Leydig cells, which may contribute to male reproductive toxicity.

• Fluorosis and Health Risks

  • High fluoride concentrations in drinking water have been associated with dental, skeletal, and crippling skeletal fluorosis, particularly in regions with naturally high fluoride levels. This is a significant public health issue in countries like India and China.

• Health Risk Assessments

  • In regions with high fluoride levels in drinking water, such as Poldasht City in Iran, a significant portion of the population, especially young consumers, children, and teenagers, are at risk of fluorosis. Measures to reduce fluoride concentration in drinking water are imperative.

Conclusion

The research indicates that while fluoridated water has clear benefits for dental health and may even have positive economic effects, there are significant risks associated with high levels of fluoride exposure. These risks include reproductive toxicity and various forms of fluorosis, particularly in regions with naturally high fluoride levels. Therefore, while water fluoridation can be beneficial, monitoring and controlling fluoride levels is crucial to mitigate potential health risks.

Sources:

1. J. W. Merkley et al. "Increased bone strength in coop-reared broilers provided flouridated water.." Poultry science, 55 4 (1976): 1313-9 .

2. Chen Liang et al. "Fluoride induced mitochondrial impairment and PINK1-mediated mitophagy in Leydig cells of mice: In vivo and in vitro studies.." Environmental pollution (2019): 113438 .

3. Linuz Aggeborn et al. "The Effects of Fluoride in Drinking Water." Journal of Political Economy, 129 (2020): 465 - 491.

4. S. Ayoob et al. "Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Review on the Status and Stress Effects." Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 36 (2006): 433 - 487.

5. M. Yousefi et al. "Health risk assessment to fluoride in drinking water of rural residents living in the Poldasht city, Northwest of Iran.." Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 148 (2018): 426-430 .

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