The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have important new steps to ensure that standards and guidelines on fluoride in drinking water continue to provide the maximum protection to the American people to support good dental health, especially in children.

HHS is proposing that the recommended level of fluoride in drinking water can be set at the lowest end of the current optimal range to prevent tooth decay, and EPA is initiating review of the maximum amount of fluoride allowed in drinking water.

Agencies working together to maintain benefits of preventing tooth decay
while preventing excessive exposure

Community Water Fluoridation FAQ’s

Flouride Toxicity

Don’t eat the toothpaste

A study conducted between 1999 and 2004 by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 41% of children between the ages of 12 and 15 exhibited signs of dental fluorosis, a spotting or streaking on the teeth. That was up from nearly 23% found in a study from 1986 and 1987.

The CDC believes the increase is due mostly to children swallowing toothpaste with fluoride when they brush their teeth.