ADHA Maintains Policy and Recommendation of Low Fluoride Levels for Caries Prevention

CHICAGO, September 10, 2024 – The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA^®) supports community water fluoridation as a safe and effective method for reducing the incidence of dental caries throughout the lifespan.¹ Therefore, ADHA is commenting on the National Toxicology Program’s (NTP) Monograph on the State of Science Concerning Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopment and Cognition released in August 2024.

The U.S. Public Health Service recommends a safe level of 0.7 milligrams/liter (mg/L) of fluoride concentration in drinking water. Current evidence-based research demonstrates that water fluoridated at the recommended 0.7 mg/L concentration is safe and has been shown to reduce tooth decay by 25% in both children and adults.

The studies referenced in the NTP’s report and upon which the conclusions are based, were conducted across several countries outside of the United States and focused on fluoride concentrations exceeding 1.5 mg/L. The determination about lower IQs in children was based primarily on epidemiology studies also in non-U.S. countries.²

Research conducted over the past seventy years has consistently shown that fluoridation of community water supplies is a safe and cost-effective means to reduce the prevalence of tooth decay. The ADHA remains committed to supporting the fluoridation of public water supplies at safe levels to help reduce the risk of tooth decay and the overall burden of dental disease.

For ADHA’s policies and other resources on fluoride visit https://www.adha.org/fluoride.

¹ American Dental Hygienists’ Association (2024, September 2). ADHA Policy Manual [5-15/58-82]. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://www.adha.org/policymanual

² National Institutes of Health (2024, August 22). Fluoride Exposure: Neurodevelopment and Cognition. National Toxicology Program, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/fluoride

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About the American Dental Hygienists’ Association
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is the only organization representing the professional interests of the more than 220,000 dental hygienists in the United States. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals, licensed in dental hygiene, who provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of optimal oral health. The Journal of Dental Hygiene (JDH), published bi-monthly, is ADHA’s scientific journal and flagship publication. To learn more about the ADHA, dental hygiene or the link between oral health and general health, visit adha.org.

Contact
Bronwyn Barrera
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