Two Out of Five Teens Affected by Excessive Fluoride in Water

For the first time in almost 50 years, it looks like fluoride levels in drinking water may be reduced nationwide. On Friday, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that fluoride levels in tap water are too high.

Fluoride is a added to tap water to protect teeth from decay, but the practice has faced opponents for many years. According to a Los Angeles Times article, the HHS recommendation followed a government study showing that two out of five adolescents have streaking and spottiness on their teeth due to too much fluoride. In extreme cases, teeth can even become pitted. In addition to the cosmetic issues, a high intake of fluoride over time can increase the risk of bone problems — brittle bones and fractures or even severe bone abnormalities. Skeletal fluorosis is a painful and sometimes crippling disease, according to the Environmental Working Group, who has been fighting to reduce the amount of fluoride in drinking water for years citing health concerns, especially for very young children.

HHS has recommended that the level of fluoride in tap water be reduced to 0.7 parts per million, but only the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can set a standard that is enforceable because the EPA regulates drinking water. A recommendation alone is ineffectual. We need an enforceable law restricting the amount of fluoride in our drinking water in order to really protect the nation's kids.

In light of new studies, the current EPA fluoride limit is incredibly high, coming in at nearly six times the upper limit of the new HHS recommendation. This is not the first time the EPA has been asked to lower the fluoride limit, either. The Los Angeles Times reports that in 2006, the National Academy of Sciences recommended a lowering. In fact, there is even debate within the EPA over whether or not any fluoride is safe in drinking water. In 2005, the heads of 11 EPA unions asked the agency to stop adding fluoride to water completely. Why? Some studies point to a possible link between exposure and bone cancer, neurotoxicity, and thyroid function issues.

The bottom line is that right now there is really no choice for the consumer. You don't get to choose how much fluoride goes in your drinking water, but what alternative do you have? Searching for bottled, spring water is obviously not a sustainable choice environmentally or financially. You can choose whether or not you buy toothpaste or mouthwash with fluoride.

Tell the EPA what you think. Sign our petition urging the EPA to lower the allowable fluoride limit to the amount recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services.

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Photo credit: jenny downing via Flickr