Since 1962, the U.S. Health Department has been adding 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams of fluoride per liter to its tap water resources. As one of its 10 Great Public Health Achievements in the 20th Century, according to the CDC, the move was aimed at reducing common dental health problems among Americans.
But this week, the federal agency has recommended, via a statement issued on their website, that its level be lowered and should no longer exceed 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of tap water. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has been recommending a change in the levels since 2011, and many cities have already complied, according to Newsweek. However, the new guideline is supposed to take effect all over the states.
Today, many Americans receive fluoride from other resources like toothpaste, mouthwash and dental sealants. But too much of it brings a different dental problem, according to anti-fluoride activists.
The derivative to add fluoride in water was controversial back in the '60s, and it remains controversial even today. Some say that it causes the development of white spots on the teeth of young boys and girls due to fluorosis. While this is not a major health problem, it is quite common.
Several studies have been conducted to find the links between fluoridation and its negative effects. One study done in China has found that too much fluoride can affect brain development and IQ. But Deputy Surgeon General Boris D. Lushniak said via The Washington Post that the fluoridation process in the U.S. was reviewed back in 2006 and revealed that it doesn't bring any ill-effects in small amounts in the water sources.
Harvard environmentalist and physician Dr. Philippe Grandjean in the Newsweek report, however, said that revisiting previous studies done to ascertain if fluoride in drinking water is still necessary in these times.
"Lowering the recommended fluoridation level to 0.7 mg per liter is very well-justified. I would in fact recommend that the level be reduced even further," Grandjean added.
