This common water additive could be hurting your child’s brain

New research suggests that even low levels of fluoride in drinking water could impact children’s cognitive abilities.

A study conducted in Bangladesh tracked 500 mothers and their children, linking higher fluoride exposure to reduced cognitive performance, particularly in verbal reasoning and sensory processing.

The study found that fluoride levels in drinking water similar to those in many countries were associated with lower cognitive abilities in children at ages five and ten.

Fluoride is naturally present in water sources, but many countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, add fluoride to municipal water supplies to prevent tooth decay.

However, concerns over potential health risks have sparked debate about its safety.

Maria, an associate professor at Karolinska Institutet, states that the findings support the hypothesis that even relatively low concentrations of fluoride can impact children’s early development.

Researchers analysed fluoride levels in urine samples of 500 pregnant women and their children in rural Bangladesh, where naturally occurring fluoride levels are similar to those in other parts of the world.

Cognitive tests at ages five and ten revealed that higher fluoride exposure during pregnancy correlated with lower cognitive abilities in children.

Dr. Kippler emphasises that fluoride in toothpaste is not a significant concern, as it is not meant to be swallowed. However, she advises parents to ensure young children do not ingest toothpaste during brushing.

Pregnant women in the study had a median fluoride concentration of 0.63 mg/L, and children with over 0.72 mg/L fluoride in their urine showed reduced cognitive abilities.

Notably, these levels are lower than the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union (EU) safety thresholds for fluoride in drinking water, set at 1.5 mg/L.

The study however, did not find a significant link between fluoride levels in five-year-olds and cognitive abilities, likely due to the shorter exposure period or variations in fluoride retention in younger children.