Prenatal Fluoride Exposure Lowers Babies Intelligence, Study Shows

Healthy pregnant Mexican women’s urine fluoride levels are linked to lower intelligence in their offspring, according to a US government-sponsored study published in Environmental Health Perspectives (September 2017). Over 300 previous studies link fluoride to neurotoxic effects.

Fluoridation lobbyists cavalierly dismiss this study as not relevant to the US. However, healthy US adults' urine fluoride levels are similar to those reported in the Mexican study. Another knee-jerk criticism, that US fluoride and Mexican fluoride sources differ, is irrelevant. Urine fluoride levels measure total fluoride intake from all sources. It doesn't matter where it comes from.

The same day the Mexican study was published, the American Dental Association (ADA), which is politically tied to fluoridation, disputed its findings. In a statement, the organization said, “ the findings are not applicable to the U.S." citing differing irrelevant fluoride sources. Then the ADA went on to use their usual talking points having nothing to do with science.

Lead researcher on the Mexican study, Dr. Howard Hu disagrees with the ADA. He told the National Post “This is a very rigorous epidemiology study. You just can’t deny it. It’s directly related to whether fluoride is a risk for the neurodevelopment of children. So, to say it has no relevance to the folks in the U.S. seems disingenuous.”

Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a pediatrician who studies potential links between environmental exposures and health problems at New York University Langone Health, told Newsweek, “This is a very well-conducted study, and it raises serious concerns about fluoride supplementation in water. These new insights raise concerns that the prenatal period may be highly vulnerable and may require additional reconsideration.”

Most US water suppliers purposely add unnecessary fluoride chemicals into public water supplies in a failed attempt to reduce tooth decay for political not scientific reasons.

A New Zealand study (Broadbent, et al) is often touted as proof fluoride is not neurotoxic. However, that study showed no difference in total fluoride intake between children in fluoridated and nonfluoridated areas since most of the children in nonfluoridated areas were given fluoride supplements.

The researchers adjusted for a wide range of other factors including lead, mercury, socio-economic status, smoking, alcohol use, and health problems during pregnancy.

Up until 2011, government agencies advised artificially fluoridating water up to 1.2 mg/L and claimed it was absolutely safe. But then had to retract themselves. Because of the growing dental fluorosis epidemic, they revised it downward to 0.7 mg/L. But it’s just a recommendation. Not all water suppliers comply. Alarmingly, many US communities are served naturally fluoridated water up to 4 mg/L which has been crowned "safe" by the EPA without evidence to back it up.

Virtually all foods and beverages and some medicines contain fluoride. Fluoride is absorbed into the bloodstream from topical application of fluoridated dental products and is inhaled in air pollution, showers, cold-mist humidifiers and ocean mist (oceans contain approximately 1.4 parts per million fluoride which is why ocean fish are high in fluoride).

Understandably, this study cuts to the heart of the dental profession's support of fluoride to combat dental decay. But rather than a knee-jerk reaction to deny the importance of this study in the interests of teeth, perhaps dentists should take a more holistic perspective and consider the entire child, including his cognitive development. How many IQ points loss would you consider is worth one cavity prevented???

This new careful investigation, by respected researchers from respected institutions and published in a respected peer-reviewed journal, adds to a frightening trend. Over 300 studies now link fluoride to neurotoxic effects – 51 of them human – some on humans consuming fluoride levels allowed in US water supplies.

Taken together, with this new study, the evidence is now very strong that fluoride exposures common in the USA is causing IQ loss in at least some children.

END FLUORIDATION