FURTHER COMMENTS ON FLUORIDE AND IQ

Two recent publications in New Zealand have given some reassurance that community water fluoridation (CWF) does not adversely affect intelligence, measured as IQ, but they are seen to have some scientific limitations and are unlikely to be regarded as definitive statements on CWF and IQ. It is suggested that an approach that is more likely to provide a science-based reassurance would be to consider the F levels, in the diet, drinking water, urine, and serum, that have been found to be associated with impaired IQ and to work backwards from these to calculate a safe level of F in drinking water (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, MCLG).