Since fluoride, a naturally-occurring mineral, has been added to public drinking water, the rate of cavities has decreased. It’s still a problem however with 60% to 90% of people worldwide affected by tooth decay.

Despite what you hear about fluoride being dangerous, it’s one of the best ways to protect your teeth. Fluoride binds with plaque acids into the enamel. There, it helps protect against enamel loss. It’s important to get enough fluoride to protect your teeth, but there are things to keep in mind. We’ll cover the myths and facts regarding fluoride use.

Fluoride Is Toxic for Small Children and Babies

Many public water systems add fluoride to drinking water in water treatment plants. Over the years, this has led to concerns about fluoride being toxic. You see the labels on toothpaste warning against children swallowing fluoride, so it’s dangerous, right?

Much of this comes from a condition that children develop known as fluorosis. It occurs when teeth are developing, leading to discoloration on the teeth. In 2016, about 66% of children aged six or older had some level of fluorosis. It’s not a dangerous condition. Teeth may have whiter streaks or spots, but it’s not likely to impact your child’s health.

That said, if you allow your child to ingest large quantities of fluoride, such as eating full tubes of toothpaste over a long period of time, it can cause skeletal fluorosis, and that can lead to osteoporosis. It’s a very rare condition that’s not linked to public drinking water. In general, these levels of fluoride ingestion are proven to be low enough to avoid fluorosis.

• Up to 6 months – 0.7 mg
• 7 months to a year – 0.9 mg 
• 1 to 3 years – 1.3 mg 
• 4 years to 8 years – 2.2 mg
• 9 years and up – 10 mg 

Fluoride levels in public drinking water are set to 0.7 mg per liter by the U.S. Public Health Service. The levels in public drinking water are safe. Parents have to also monitor how much toothpaste is used by a child. Children are more likely to swallow toothpaste than teens or adults, and that’s why it’s important to limit children to a small amount of toothpaste.

The Fluoride in Drinking Water Is Excessive and Expensive

People hate seeing their taxes, utility bills, groceries, and other routine expenses increase. There’s a belief that water fluoridation costs a lot. If municipalities dropped fluoridation in public water, it would save a lot of money. That’s not true.

In Texas, adding water fluoridation systems in four cities was estimated to cost between 71 cents to $1.90 per person. Once installed, the cost for maintenance is no more than 35 cents per person. Compare that to the cost of dental care for cavities. 

Care Credit reports that it can cost $108 to $256 per tooth for a silver amalgam filling and $173 to $439 per tooth for a composite resin filling. Gold and porcelain ceramic fillings can cost up to four times more than that. While you may not think this matters, if a child with tooth decay is on a program like Medicaid, taxpayer money is paying for those fillings. Is saving a dollar or two per person on fluoride still the better way to save money?

Fluoridation in Water Causes Diseases Like Cancer

We talked about fluorosis earlier. Excessive use of fluoride is linked to those. Many studies have been performed to find a link between fluoride in water and cancer, and none have proven that cancer is caused by fluoride usage. The studies have been performed by:

• The International Agency for Research on Cancer
• The U.S. Public Health Service
• The NHS in the United Kingdom
• The European Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks
• California’s Carcinogen Identification Committee
• The National Research Council

There was one study by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2006 that found high levels of fluoride may increase the risk of osteosarcoma in boys. This is part of why people believe fluoride causes cancer. You have to read more into the studies.

The same results were not found in girls. A continuation of this study looked at the levels of fluoride in bones between males with bone tumors and boys specifically diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The fluoride levels in the bones were the same. Similar studies in Ireland and the United Kingdom also found no link between that rare cancer and fluoride.

Fluoride Doesn’t Stop Tooth Decay

Another belief is that fluoride doesn’t stop tooth decay anyway, so why bother? Many cases where children get cavities anyway are tied to other risk factors. Those children have poor brushing habits, don’t always see a dentist regularly, and eat foods that aren’t great for the teeth.

Even with fluoride in drinking water and toothpaste, daily habits are important. If a person drinks a load of sugary drinks like soda, eats sugary foods, and doesn’t brush or floss regularly, tooth decay is likely.

Lower IQs Are Linked to the Overuse of Fluoride

A published study came out suggesting that overuse of fluoride lowers a person’s IQ. What people don’t realize is that the methodologies for this study were found to be flawed.

In May 2023, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and other federal agencies requested a scientific review. The National Toxicology Program’s initial report was recommended for revisions due to potential bias. 

Fluoridation of Water Is a Way for the Government to Control Your Life

There’s a strong level of distrust when it comes to a government health agency mandating things like vaccinations, fluoride in water, and even masks. We all saw just how strongly people react to being told what they need to do for their health. 

When the government recommends something, it’s because of studies by medical professionals and significant testing to ensure the supplement, treatment, medication, or addition does what it’s supposed to. 

The 2015 Cochrane Review scoured 20 studies of children on fluoridated water vs. water containing no fluoride. Children on non-fluoridated water had 65% more cavities, fillings, or missing baby teeth than the other children. That same study showed that children drinking non-fluoridated water had 74% more cavities, fillings, or missing permanent teeth.

An Australian National Survey of Adult Oral Health looked at the benefits of fluoride, too. That study found that adults who’d been drinking fluoridated water for at least 14 years had lower rates of tooth decay or loss than adults without fluoridated water. 

Are You Struggling With the Myths and Realities Regarding Fluoride?

Where can you go for the truth about fluoride? Dr. Jody Jones is happy to discuss the benefits of fluoride for healthy teeth. He and his team can go over safe amounts to use on your child’s teeth and the best kinds of toothpaste for each stage of childhood.

It’s also important that you and your family see a dentist for regular cleanings. Whether you live alone or have children in need of dental care, Jody Jones DDS is available for cleanings, cosmetic dentistry, and other forms of dentistry. Call or go online to make an appointment.