{"id":2329415,"date":"2024-08-22T17:49:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T21:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fluoride-in-water-linked-to-lower-iq-in-children-government-report-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-22T18:01:33","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T22:01:33","slug":"fluoride-in-water-linked-to-lower-iq-in-children-government-report-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fluoride-in-water-linked-to-lower-iq-in-children-government-report-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Fluoride in water linked to lower IQ in children: Government report &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffluoride-in-water-linked-to-lower-iq-in-children-government-report-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2329415&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A recent report from the Department of Health\u200c and Human Services (HHS) has linked elevated fluoride levels in drinking water to lower IQs \u200bin \u200dchildren. The analysis, conducted\u200b by HHS&#8217;s National Toxicology \u200cProgram, \u200dhighlighted\u2062 concerns regarding fluoride exposure exceeding recommended limits, noting a potential loss of \u200c2 to 5\u200d IQ points \u2064in children when exposed to \u2063double the safe\u200d fluoride limit. While fluoride has \u2062been used effectively to reduce\u2062 dental cavities since \u20621945, the report suggests that pregnant women and children might be\u2062 receiving excessive fluoride\u200c from various sources, including treated drinking water, foods, teas, and dental products. The\u200c report indicates that drinking water with more than 1.5 milligrams of\u2064 fluoride per liter correlates with reduced \u200cIQs, a level deemed safe by the World Health Organization. Although the current \u2063U.S. Public Health Service recommendation is 0.7 milligrams per\u200c liter, \u200dthe report called for further studies to clarify the effects of fluoride exposure on children&#8217;s cognitive function. Criticism of water fluoridation\u200d persists, as some argue it is governmental overreach in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-to-show-lockdowns-are-killing-more-people-than-the-virus\/\" title=\"How To Show Lockdowns Are Killing More People Than The Virus\">public health<\/a>, \u2064while supporters regard it as \u200ca significant achievement in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-covid-30-americans-pack-on-the-pounds-during-covid-19-new-report-says\/\" title=\"The COVID 30: Americans Pack On The Pounds During COVID-19, New Report Says\">oral health<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Fluoride in water linked to lower IQ in children: Government report<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1735567\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/water\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Water<\/a> with twice the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-recommends-tighter-constraints-on-new-oil-and-gas-drilling-amid-energy-crisis\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Recommends Tighter Constraints On New Oil And Gas Drilling Amid Energy Crisis\">recommended limit<\/a> of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/water-pollution\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>fluoride<\/a> has been linked to lower IQs in children, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hhs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Department of Health and Human Services<\/a> report.<\/p>\n<p>The Wednesday report, from HHS&rsquo;s National Toxicology Program, acknowledges the potential neurological risk of high levels of fluoride exposure &ldquo;with moderate confidence,&rdquo; the second-highest level of confidence used by the NTP. While the report, which is an analysis of previous research, did not quantify the number of IQ points lost due to exposure, some of the research cited say children with higher exposure can lose between 2 and 5 IQ points.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Since 1945, the use of fluoride has been a successful public health initiative for reducing dental cavities and improving general oral health of adults and children,&rdquo; the <a href=\"https:\/\/ntp.niehs.nih.gov\/whatwestudy\/assessments\/noncancer\/completed\/fluoride\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>report<\/a> stated. &ldquo;There is a concern, however, that some pregnant women and children may be getting more fluoride than they need because they now get fluoride from many sources including treated public water, water-added foods and beverages, teas, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash, and the combined total intake of fluoride may exceed safe amounts.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Water fluoridation is the practice of adding fluoride to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/shes-so-right-clothing-proudly-made-in-the-usa\/\" title=\"USA-made clothing by She&#039;s So Right\">fresh water sources<\/a> because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/fluoridation\/about\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>claims<\/a> it prevents cavities and tooth decay.<\/p>\n<p>Most water sources do contain naturally occurring fluoride, but municipal water sources boost the numbers because the natural levels are &ldquo;too low to prevent cavities,&rdquo; the CDC says.<\/p>\n<p>The practice of fluoridation has always drawn controversy from those who believe the government should not be putting chemicals in the drinking water without the consent of those who will be drinking it. Critics say that it is a coerced medical treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Proponents of fluoridation consider it to be a major public health achievement, bringing dental prices down and prolonging the use of natural human teeth throughout a lifetime. The American Dental Association is a major supporter of water fluoridation.<\/p>\n<p>While people come in contact with fluoride through multiple sources, such as toothpaste, researchers say water is the primary source of the mineral.<\/p>\n<p>The new report, however, says that all the efforts to prevent cavities have been connected to lower IQs in children with fluoride intake twice the recommended limit.<\/p>\n<p>Drinking water with more than 1.5 milligrams of the chemical per liter was associated consistently with lower IQs in children. That level is the current safe limit set by the World Health Organization. The report did not test for the same association with adult cognition.<\/p>\n<p>The current dosage recommendation from the U.S. Public Health Service is 0.7 milligrams per liter. The report states that there was &ldquo;insufficient data&rdquo; to determine if the current level has a negative effect on children&rsquo;s IQ and that more studies needed to be conducted.<\/p>\n<p>According to the report, about 1.9 million people in the United States, roughly 0.6%, are exposed to fluoride levels at 1.5 milligrams per liter or higher.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The findings from this report raise the questions about how these people can be protected and what makes the most sense,&rdquo; said Ashley Malin, a researcher at the University of Florida who has studied the effects of fluoride on pregnant women and children.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Environmental Protection Agency, water systems are not allowed to have above 4 milligrams per liter of fluoride because that level can cause skeletal fluorosis, a serious condition that causes weaker bones, stiffness, and pain.<\/p>\n<p>An increasing number of studies in animals have suggested that fluoride exposure affected cell function in regions of the brain that control learning, memory, executive function, and behavior. Researchers have been interested to learn if those effects transfer over to humans, and if young children who may be exposed to fluoride through water used to mix baby formula were seeing a negative impact.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A 2006 study from the private nonprofit National Research Council brought the question of neurological effects of from fluoride in humans to the fore, using limited evidence available from China, and it called for more research.<\/p>\n<p>The NTP started to review the available evidence in 2016 in order to find if more limiting measures for fluoride exposure may be needed.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1735567\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1735567\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A government report indicates that water containing double the recommended fluoride limit is associated with lower IQ levels in children. Released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Wednesday, the report from HHS&#8217;s National Toxicology Program expresses &#8220;moderate confidence&#8221; regarding the neurological risks posed by elevated fluoride exposure, which is one of their higher confidence levels. Although it does not specify how many IQ points may be lost due to fluoride exposure, some studies referenced suggest that children exposed to higher fluoride levels could experience a decline of 2 to 5 IQ points.<\/p>\n<p>The report highlights that since 1945, fluoridation has been an effective public health measure for reducing dental cavities and enhancing oral health among both adults and children. However, there are concerns that pregnant women and children might be receiving excessive amounts of fluoride from various sources such as treated public water, food and beverages containing added water, teas, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash.<\/p>\n<p>Fluoridation involves adding fluoride to drinking water because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asserts it helps prevent cavities. While natural sources of water typically contain some level of fluoride, municipal systems often increase these levels since they are usually too low to effectively prevent tooth decay according to CDC standards. The practice has faced criticism from those who argue against government-mandated chemical additions without public consent; they view it as involuntary medical treatment. Conversely, supporters see fluoridation as a significant public health success that reduces dental costs and extends the lifespan of natural teeth.<\/p>\n<p>Despite multiple avenues through which people encounter fluoride\u2014primarily through toothpaste\u2014the new report links high intake levels in drinking water (specifically over 1.5 milligrams per liter) with consistently lower IQs in children; this threshold aligns with current safety limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The U.S. Public Health Service recommends a dosage limit of 0.7 milligrams per liter but notes insufficient data exists regarding its impact on children&#8217;s cognitive abilities necessitating further research.<\/p>\n<p>Approximately 1.9 million Americans\u2014about 0.6%\u2014are exposed to fluoride concentrations exceeding this safe limit according to the report&#8217;s findings. Ashley Malin from the University of Florida emphasized concerns about protecting these individuals while determining appropriate measures moving forward.<\/p>\n<p>The Environmental Protection Agency prohibits any drinking water system from exceeding four milligrams per liter due to risks like skeletal fluorosis\u2014a serious condition leading to weakened bones and pain\u2014which can arise at such high concentrations.<\/p>\n<p>Animal studies have increasingly suggested that excessive fluoride may disrupt brain cell function related to learning and memory processes; researchers are keenly interested in whether similar effects occur in humans or if young children using fluoridated water for baby formula face negative consequences.<\/p>\n<p>A pivotal study conducted by the National Research Council in 2006 raised awareness about potential neurological impacts stemming from human exposure to fluoride based on limited evidence primarily sourced from China while advocating for more comprehensive research efforts\u2014a call echoed when NTP began reviewing existing data back in 2016<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":179,"featured_media":2329416,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/us-drinking-water-fluoride-2024-1024x681.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[38995,38994,38997,38996,37596],"class_list":["post-2329415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-child-development","tag-fluoride","tag-government-report","tag-iq-study","tag-water-safety"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/us-drinking-water-fluoride-2024-1024x681.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2329415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/179"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2329415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2329415\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2329416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2329415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2329415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2329415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}