U.S. govt recommends less fluoride in drinking water

The U.S. government on Monday issued a final recommendation that, for the first time in more than a half-century, requires a lowered optimal fluoride level in drinking water, including bottled water, to prevent tooth decay.

The new recommendation of 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water updates and replaces the previous recommended range of 0. 7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter, which was issued in 1962.

"The change was recommended because Americans now have access to more sources of fluoride, such as toothpaste and mouth rinses, than they did when water fluoridation was first introduced in the United States," the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.

"As a result, there has been an increase in fluorosis, which, in most cases, manifests as barely visible lacy white marking or spots on the tooth enamel."

Fluorides are present naturally in water and soil at varying levels. About 70 years ago, scientists found that fluoride can prevent and even reverse tooth decay.

In 1945, Grand Rapids in Michigan became the first U.S. city to add fluoride to its municipal water system. The practice has grown steadily in the U.S. since then. Today, nearly 75 percent of Americans served by public water systems get fluoridated water.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers water fluoridation one of the 10 great public health achievements in the country in the 20th century.

But new studies showed that children exposed to excessive amounts have an increased risk of developing discoloration of their tooth enamel, also known as dental fluorosis.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the new recommended level will maintain the protective decay prevention benefits of water fluoridation while reducing the risk of dental fluorosis.

"While additional sources of fluoride are more widely used than they were in 1962, the need for community water fluoridation still continues," U.S. Deputy Surgeon General Rear Admiral Boris Lushniak said.

Lushniak said community water fluoridation has significantly improved American oral health for the past 70 years and that it's "effective, inexpensive and does not depend on access or availability of professional services."

"Community water fluoridation continues to reduce tooth decay in children and adults beyond that provided by using only toothpaste and other fluoride-containing products," he noted. Endite