New Study Finds Fluoride in Drinking Water May Actually Boost Cognitive Performance

A new national study is challenging long-standing concerns about fluoride in community drinking water, suggesting that recommended levels may actually benefit cognitive performance rather than harm it. The findings counter recent federal scrutiny and claims that fluoride exposure lowers IQ in children.

Earlier this year, a National Toxicology Program study linked high fluoride exposure to lower IQ, but those levels were at least twice the federally recommended limit. The new study, published in Science Advances, examined fluoride exposure at typical levels and found what researchers called “robust evidence” that young people with consistent fluoride exposure performed better on cognitive tests than those without fluoride in their water.

Lead author Dr. Rob Warren said he launched the research after questioning whether previous studies reflected real-world exposure levels. His team analyzed data from nearly 27,000 people tracked over four decades, comparing their test performance with historic fluoride levels reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Students exposed to fluoride for part or all of their childhood scored higher in math, reading, and vocabulary during high school. Follow-up assessments through age 60 also found no link between fluoride exposure and cognitive decline.

The study arrives amid renewed political debate. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized fluoridation, and Utah and Florida have become the first states to ban the practice. Supporters, including the American Dental Association and the CDC, maintain that fluoridation is safe, effective, and prevents tooth decay. The CDC continues to recommend 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of drinking water.

Other research this year estimated that removing fluoride from public water could lead to more than 25 million additional decayed teeth in children and adolescents within five years, along with nearly $10 billion in dental health costs.

Some experts say more complete data is needed on total fluoride exposure, including toothpaste and pesticides. Others argue the greater burden of proof lies with those claiming harm from a practice that has benefited public oral health for decades.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently restricted the use of prescription fluoride supplements, citing concerns about gut microbiome changes, though the agency has not moved to limit community water fluoridation.

Researchers say more studies are underway to examine fluoride’s impact on IQ with even more precise data on childhood exposure.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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