Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Fcwwd #41/shaver Lake

Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems to prevent cavities and support oral health in people.

In 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services updated its recommendation of an optimal level of 0.7 parts per million, or ppm, added to drinking water based on the health benefits of tooth decay prevention. Studies have shown that fluoride added to community water systems at this level reduces dental cavities, especially in children.

And studies have conclusively shown that fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash can also provide these benefits. Read More.

Health Concerns

Although the HHS-recommended level of 0.7 ppm can help promote oral health in children and adults, this level is likely too high for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water.

And fluoride in water at higher levels can be detrimental for everyone, especially children.

Long-term ingestion of higher levels of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth in children.

A 2024 authoritative assessment by the National Toxicology Program found that higher levels of fluoride exposure, such as drinking water containing more than 1.5 ppm of fluoride, are associated with lower IQ in children. The conclusion was based on studies in human populations outside of the U.S.

Affecting systems with naturally occurring fluoride, 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 fracture. But these effects may occur at lower levels of exposure, raising concerns that the current limit may not adequately protect public health.

 

83

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND320ND
20190.104 ppm1411ND - 0.220 ppm
20200.138 ppm440.130 ppm - 0.150 ppm
20210.0263 ppm163ND - 0.160 ppm
20220.0831 ppm136ND - 0.390 ppm
2023ND40ND

ppm = parts per million

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 4 ppm

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-03-12CA1010017_001_001-201803121055ND
2018-03-12CA1010017_005_005-201803121119ND
2018-03-12CA1010017_014_014-201803121310ND
2018-03-12CA1010017_015_015-201803121341ND
2018-03-12CA1010017_008_008-201803121200ND
2018-03-12CA1010017_033_033-201803121239ND
2018-03-14CA1010017_062_062-201803141234ND
2018-03-14CA1010017_034_034-201803140320ND
2018-03-14CA1010017_004_004-201803141053ND
2018-03-16CA1010017_012_012-201803161225ND
2018-03-16CA1010017_011_011-201803161212ND
2018-03-16CA1010017_035_035-201803161334ND
2018-03-16CA1010017_036_036-201803161304ND
2018-03-16CA1010017_006_006-201803161041ND
2018-03-19CA1010017_009_009-201803191332ND
2018-03-19CA1010017_042_042-201803191207ND
2018-04-09CA1010017_001_001-201804091058ND
2018-04-09CA1010017_033_033-201804091159ND
2018-04-09CA1010017_005_005-201804091117ND
2018-04-09CA1010017_004_004-201804091113ND
2018-04-11CA1010017_008_008-201804111212ND
2018-04-11CA1010017_006_006-201804111318ND
2018-04-13CA1010017_034_034-201804131345ND
2018-04-13CA1010017_014_014-201804131404ND
2018-04-13CA1010017_062_062-201804131313ND
2018-04-13CA1010017_015_015-201804131040ND
2018-04-18CA1010017_011_011-201804181135ND
2018-04-18CA1010017_036_036-201804181054ND
2018-04-18CA1010017_012_012-201804181148ND
2018-04-18CA1010017_035_035-201804181037ND
2018-04-20CA1010017_042_042-201804201155ND
2018-04-20CA1010017_009_009-201804201329ND
2019-06-19CA1010017_058_058-2019061908550.120 ppm
2019-06-19CA1010017_037_037-2019061910300.120 ppm
2019-06-19CA1010017_066_066-2019061909570.120 ppm
2019-06-19CA1010017_040_040-201906191115ND
2019-06-19CA1010017_059_059-201906190955ND
2019-06-19CA1010017_041_041-2019061911200.1000 ppm
2019-06-19CA1010017_043_043-2019061913100.130 ppm
2019-06-19CA1010017_046_046-2019061910000.110 ppm
2019-06-19CA1010017_044_044-2019061913200.220 ppm
2019-06-19CA1010017_065_065-2019061909400.160 ppm
2019-06-19CA1010017_056_056-2019061909260.150 ppm
2019-06-19CA1010017_057_057-2019061909100.110 ppm
2019-06-26CA1010017_066_066-201906261230ND
2019-12-18CA1010017_038_038-2019121809330.110 ppm
2020-04-21CA1010017_002_002-2020042108500.140 ppm
2020-05-06CA1010017_049_049-2020050610250.130 ppm
2020-05-06CA1010017_047_047-2020050610500.130 ppm
2020-05-06CA1010017_048_048-2020050609200.150 ppm
2021-03-08CA1010017_009_009-2021030811400.130 ppm
2021-03-08CA1010017_001_001-202103081300ND
2021-04-05CA1010017_006_006-202104050900ND
2021-04-05CA1010017_008_008-202104051100ND
2021-04-05CA1010017_004_004-2021040511200.160 ppm
2021-04-06CA1010017_042_042-202104061230ND
2021-04-06CA1010017_012_012-202104061300ND
2021-04-06CA1010017_011_011-202104061245ND
2021-04-12CA1010017_015_015-202104121345ND
2021-04-12CA1010017_014_014-202104121400ND
2021-04-13CA1010017_034_034-202104131155ND
2021-04-13CA1010017_062_062-2021041313000.130 ppm
2021-04-14CA1010017_033_033-202104141300ND
2021-04-14CA1010017_005_005-202104141326ND
2021-04-19CA1010017_036_036-202104191055ND
2021-04-19CA1010017_035_035-202104191045ND
2022-02-11CA1010017_041_041-202202111400ND
2022-02-11CA1010017_066_066-2022021111000.160 ppm
2022-03-02CA1010017_059_059-202203021255ND
2022-03-02CA1010017_065_065-202203021240ND
2022-04-06CA1010017_037_037-202204061135ND
2022-04-06CA1010017_044_044-2022040610300.160 ppm
2022-04-06CA1010017_043_043-2022040610450.150 ppm
2022-04-06CA1010017_040_040-2022040611050.110 ppm
2022-04-12CA1010017_057_057-202204121325ND
2022-04-12CA1010017_056_056-2022041213050.390 ppm
2022-04-12CA1010017_058_058-2022041213450.110 ppm
2022-04-19CA1010017_046_046-202204191300ND
2022-04-19CA1010017_038_038-202204191030ND
2023-04-24CA1010017_047_047-202304241125ND
2023-04-24CA1010017_049_049-202304241210ND
2023-04-24CA1010017_002_002-202304241100ND
2023-04-24CA1010017_048_048-202304241140ND