Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency’s limits for fluoride levels in drinking water do not adequately protect against adverse health risks, a report released Wednesday by a scientific advisory organization said.
The report by the National Research Council of the National Academies found that people exposed to the maximum level of fluoride allowed for tap water may be at greater risk for tooth decay and bone fractures.
It urged the EPA to reassess the risk posed by fluoride contamination in order to establish new guidelines but did not indicate what the limit should be.
Excess fluoride often enters water supplies from water runoff and industrial discharges. Small amounts of fluoride in water can help prevent against tooth decay, but overexposure can produce the opposite effect.
Particularly at risk are children and infants, who are exposed to three to four times more fluoride than adults.
The council’s study did not make any recommendations concerning whether fluoride should be artificially added to water, a common practice in areas where natural fluoride levels are low.
More than 160 million people live in communities with artificially fluoridated water.
