Originally posted on Quora April 25, 2023
Many are aware of the neurotoxicity of lead in the water supply, which 56% of Americans are exposed to, but few are aware of another chemical, deliberately added to the water, and based on the same antiquated science as lead pipes, is also a neurotoxin. U.S. cities began adding fluoride to the water, on the specious pretext of preventing tooth decay, at the same time they built their public water system with lead pipes and houses were built with asbestos insulation. “The Science™” has gradually revealed the neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity of the latter, while the former hasn’t been called into question until recent years. A new NTP systematic review on the effects of fluoride exposure on neurodevelopment in children and cognitive health has done just that. The meta-analysis combed through 55 studies examining the association between levels of fluoride exposure and IQ; 52 found higher levels of fluoride exposure were associated with lower IQ for children. Of the 19 studies rated high quality 18 found higher levels of exposure were associated with lower IQ for children. The NTP working group found, among other things, that drinking water with a recommended 1.5 mg/L fluoride concentration was consistently associated with lower IQ in children and that this exposure had a low to moderate effect, which considering those same children are also exposed to trace amounts of lead is pretty substantial. Eight of these studies examined the effects on learning, development and other cognitive developmental effects, finding a negative correlation between urinary fluoride concentrations and visual memory scores as well as an increased risk of ADHD. The 18 high quality studies provide evidence of an association between higher fluoride exposure, lower IQ and other neurodevelopmental and cognitive impairments in children.
Unfortunately, this NTP report has yet to be released to the public because Biden's Assistant HHS Admin, Rachel Levine, has blocked its release. The only other time an NTP report has been blocked from release was when the subject was asbestos contaminated talc powder. Even if fluoride is a key remedy of tooth decay adding it to the water supply has long outlived its usefulness as most toothpaste brands already contain fluoride and fluoride already naturally occurs in water.