Fluoride
Taylorsville-Bennion Improvement District
Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems. Read More.
Fluoride has been promoted as a chemical that reduces dental cavities. Yet it is now well-established that fluoride primarily exerts its protective effects through topical mechanisms, such as sodium fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash. In contrast, long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth. EPA's maximum legal limit is set at 4 parts per million (ppm) to prevent skeletal fluorosis, a condition where bones become brittle and more susceptible to fractures, although these effects may occur at lower doses.
Even fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm, the amount of fluoride in drinking water recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service, can result in too much fluoride for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water. The National Toxicology Program is investigating the potential for low doses of fluoride to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.
Testing results - average by year
Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
2014 | 0.300 ppm | 9 | 9 | 0.200 ppm - 0.700 ppm |
2015 | 0.278 ppm | 9 | 8 | ND - 0.500 ppm |
2016 | 0.300 ppm | 10 | 10 | 0.200 ppm - 0.600 ppm |
2017 | 0.315 ppm | 10 | 10 | 0.187 ppm - 0.601 ppm |
2018 | 0.467 ppm | 22 | 22 | 0.123 ppm - 0.841 ppm |
2019 | 0.438 ppm | 19 | 19 | 0.101 ppm - 0.732 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppm
ppm = parts per million
All test results
Date | Result |
---|---|
2014-06-02 | 0.700 ppm |
2014-07-28 | 0.300 ppm |
2014-07-28 | 0.300 ppm |
2014-07-28 | 0.200 ppm |
2014-07-28 | 0.200 ppm |
2014-07-28 | 0.300 ppm |
2014-07-28 | 0.300 ppm |
2014-07-28 | 0.200 ppm |
2014-07-28 | 0.200 ppm |
2015-07-09 | 0.500 ppm |
2015-07-09 | 0.300 ppm |
2015-07-09 | 0.200 ppm |
2015-07-09 | 0.300 ppm |
2015-07-09 | 0.200 ppm |
2015-07-09 | 0.500 ppm |
2015-07-09 | ND |
2015-07-09 | 0.300 ppm |
2015-07-09 | 0.200 ppm |
2016-06-22 | 0.200 ppm |
2016-06-22 | 0.200 ppm |
2016-06-22 | 0.200 ppm |
2016-06-22 | 0.300 ppm |
2016-06-22 | 0.200 ppm |
2016-06-22 | 0.600 ppm |
2016-06-22 | 0.300 ppm |
2016-06-22 | 0.500 ppm |
2016-06-22 | 0.300 ppm |
2016-09-01 | 0.200 ppm |
2017-06-21 | 0.268 ppm |
2017-06-21 | 0.293 ppm |
2017-06-21 | 0.279 ppm |
2017-06-21 | 0.269 ppm |
2017-06-21 | 0.187 ppm |
2017-06-21 | 0.245 ppm |
2017-06-21 | 0.314 ppm |
2017-07-11 | 0.210 ppm |
2017-07-11 | 0.601 ppm |
2017-07-11 | 0.484 ppm |
2018-01-08 | 0.789 ppm |
2018-02-05 | 0.746 ppm |
2018-03-05 | 0.538 ppm |
2018-04-02 | 0.536 ppm |
2018-05-07 | 0.841 ppm |
2018-06-04 | 0.652 ppm |
2018-07-02 | 0.536 ppm |
2018-07-10 | 0.275 ppm |
2018-07-10 | 0.287 ppm |
2018-07-10 | 0.509 ppm |
2018-07-10 | 0.322 ppm |
2018-07-10 | 0.270 ppm |
2018-07-10 | 0.244 ppm |
2018-07-10 | 0.283 ppm |
2018-07-10 | 0.243 ppm |
2018-07-10 | 0.258 ppm |
2018-07-26 | 0.259 ppm |
2018-08-06 | 0.681 ppm |
2018-09-04 | 0.536 ppm |
2018-09-24 | 0.123 ppm |
2018-11-05 | 0.670 ppm |
2018-12-03 | 0.673 ppm |
2019-01-07 | 0.650 ppm |
2019-02-04 | 0.670 ppm |
2019-03-04 | 0.693 ppm |
2019-05-06 | 0.732 ppm |
2019-06-03 | 0.654 ppm |
2019-07-12 | 0.642 ppm |
2019-07-12 | 0.623 ppm |
2019-07-18 | 0.246 ppm |
2019-07-18 | 0.309 ppm |
2019-07-18 | 0.267 ppm |
2019-07-18 | 0.246 ppm |
2019-07-18 | 0.179 ppm |
2019-07-19 | 0.209 ppm |
2019-08-05 | 0.307 ppm |
2019-09-03 | 0.569 ppm |
2019-10-07 | 0.676 ppm |
2019-10-08 | 0.101 ppm |
2019-11-04 | 0.160 ppm |
2019-12-02 | 0.391 ppm |