Fluoride

City of Vacaville

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

113

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2013	N/A	0	0	N/A
2014	0.422 ppm	17	17	0.130 ppm - 1.000 ppm
2015	0.478 ppm	18	18	0.180 ppm - 0.987 ppm
2016	0.358 ppm	17	17	0.150 ppm - 0.784 ppm
2017	0.730 ppm	18	18	0.600 ppm - 0.900 ppm
2018	0.730 ppm	17	17	0.520 ppm - 0.920 ppm
2019	0.740 ppm	26	26	0.410 ppm - 0.920 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	Lab ID	Result
2014-01-13	1472-027-0852	0.951 ppm
2014-01-21	5810-001-1206	0.170 ppm
2014-01-21	5810-003-1117	0.240 ppm
2014-01-21	5810-004-1142	0.190 ppm
2014-01-21	5810-006-1054	0.200 ppm
2014-01-21	5810-007-0931	0.150 ppm
2014-01-21	5810-009-1029	0.160 ppm
2014-01-21	5810-010-1002	0.170 ppm
2014-01-21	5810-012-1233	0.130 ppm
2014-01-21	5810-024-1255	0.140 ppm
2014-01-21	5810-030-1314	0.150 ppm
2014-04-07	1472-027-0823	0.880 ppm
2014-06-18	5810-002-0740	0.210 ppm
2014-06-18	5810-011-1201	0.770 ppm
2014-07-14	1472-027-0827	1.000 ppm
2014-08-27	1952-011-1209	0.800 ppm
2014-10-06	1472-027-0852	0.863 ppm
2015-01-01	1952-001-0851	0.300 ppm
2015-01-01	1952-003-0837	0.280 ppm
2015-01-01	1952-004-0844	0.270 ppm
2015-01-01	1952-006-0828	0.240 ppm
2015-01-01	1952-012-0859	0.180 ppm
2015-01-01	1952-024-0910	0.250 ppm
2015-01-01	1952-030-0919	0.250 ppm
2015-01-12	1952-009-0820	0.240 ppm
2015-01-12	1472-027-0900	0.987 ppm
2015-04-13	1472-027-0840	0.888 ppm
2015-05-12	1952-002-0904	0.240 ppm
2015-05-12	1952-007-0837	0.180 ppm
2015-05-12	1952-010-0850	0.230 ppm
2015-05-12	1952-011-1336	0.730 ppm
2015-07-13	1472-027-0924	0.888 ppm
2015-08-04	5810-011-1053	0.810 ppm
2015-10-05	1472-027-0805	0.848 ppm
2015-10-07	1952-011-1017	0.790 ppm
2016-01-13	1472-027-0750	0.568 ppm
2016-03-02	1952-001-1022	0.180 ppm
2016-03-02	1952-002-0938	0.220 ppm
2016-03-02	1952-003-0952	0.260 ppm
2016-03-02	1952-006-0924	0.210 ppm
2016-03-02	1952-007-0912	0.170 ppm
2016-03-02	1952-009-0859	0.180 ppm
2016-03-02	1952-010-1006	0.190 ppm
2016-03-02	1952-012-1045	0.150 ppm
2016-03-02	1952-030-1104	0.170 ppm
2016-04-11	1472-027-0918	0.753 ppm
2016-06-28	1952-011-1430	0.550 ppm
2016-07-12	1472-027-0924	0.784 ppm
2016-07-26	5810-011-1201	0.590 ppm
2016-08-04	1952-024-0919	0.200 ppm
2016-09-20	1952-004-1503	0.170 ppm
2016-10-12	1472-027-1116	0.741 ppm
2017-01-10	5810-024-1035	0.160 ppm
2017-01-17	1472-027-1104	0.683 ppm
2017-01-24	5810-001-1000	0.190 ppm
2017-01-24	5810-002-0903	0.230 ppm
2017-01-24	5810-003-0935	0.250 ppm
2017-01-24	5810-006-0840	0.230 ppm
2017-01-24	5810-009-0813	0.180 ppm
2017-02-02	5810-010-1002	0.180 ppm
2017-02-02	5810-012-1041	0.150 ppm
2017-02-02	5810-030-1111	0.150 ppm
2017-03-23	5810-007-1146	0.180 ppm
2017-04-04	1472-027-0804	0.709 ppm
2017-06-01		0.730 ppm*
2017-06-07	1952-011-1441	0.490 ppm
2017-07-05	1472-027-0820	0.714 ppm
2017-08-17	5810-011-1136	0.520 ppm
2017-10-10	1952-011-1339	0.530 ppm
2017-10-10	1472-027-0839	0.698 ppm
2018-01-09	1472-027-0847	0.965 ppm
2018-01-31	1952-001-0758	0.200 ppm
2018-01-31	1952-003-0853	0.190 ppm
2018-01-31	1952-006-0905	0.200 ppm
2018-01-31	1952-012-0813	0.1000 ppm
2018-01-31	1952-024-0826	0.1000 ppm
2018-01-31	1952-030-0838	0.1000 ppm
2018-03-28	1952-010-0917	0.180 ppm
2018-04-11	1472-027-0850	0.712 ppm
2018-05-16	1952-011-1442	0.600 ppm
2018-06-01		0.730 ppm*
2018-07-09	1472-027-0920	0.711 ppm
2018-07-17	1952-002-1011	0.200 ppm
2018-08-08	1952-009-0751	0.140 ppm
2018-08-23	5810-011-1109	0.660 ppm
2018-10-09	1472-027-0950	0.676 ppm
2018-10-10	1952-007-0858	0.130 ppm
2019-01-01	1952-002-0902	0.230 ppm
2019-01-01	1952-010-0847	0.190 ppm
2019-01-07	1472-027-0937	0.730 ppm
2019-01-17	1952-001-1007	0.190 ppm
2019-01-17	1952-006-0848	0.220 ppm
2019-01-17	1952-009-0818	0.170 ppm
2019-01-17	1952-012-0948	0.160 ppm
2019-01-17	1952-024-0908	0.150 ppm
2019-01-17	1952-030-0928	0.160 ppm
2019-02-13	1952-007-0958	0.170 ppm
2019-02-13	9541-007-0958	0.150 ppm
2019-04-02	1472-027-0948	0.711 ppm
2019-05-14	1952-002-0804	0.220 ppm
2019-05-14	1952-010-0746	0.180 ppm
2019-05-15	1952-011-1545	0.570 ppm
2019-06-01		0.740 ppm*
2019-07-01	1472-027-0937	0.654 ppm
2019-08-07	1952-001-0950	0.200 ppm
2019-08-07	1952-006-0812	0.230 ppm
2019-08-07	1952-009-0935	0.190 ppm
2019-08-07	1952-012-1006	0.170 ppm
2019-08-07	1952-024-1024	0.160 ppm
2019-08-07	1952-030-1103	0.170 ppm
2019-08-27	2435-011-1034	0.710 ppm
2019-10-02	9541-011-1300	0.680 ppm
2019-10-08	1472-027-0905	0.801 ppm

* Sample result is taken from the system's CCR report.