Fluoride
Camden Wyoming Sewer and Water Authority
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.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0.328 ppm | 39 | 36 | ND - 0.839 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.397 ppm | 38 | 38 | 0.0515 ppm - 0.828 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.462 ppm | 37 | 37 | 0.0552 ppm - 0.838 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.390 ppm | 38 | 38 | 0.0557 ppm - 0.842 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.346 ppm | 35 | 35 | 0.0555 ppm - 0.854 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.300 ppm | 36 | 23 | ND - 0.850 ppm |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-01-18 | S723670 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2018-01-18 | S723671 | ND |
| 2018-01-18 | S723672 | 0.380 ppm |
| 2018-02-15 | S723708 | ND |
| 2018-02-15 | S723709 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2018-02-15 | S723710 | ND |
| 2018-03-14 | S723720 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2018-03-14 | S723721 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2018-03-14 | S723722 | 0.400 ppm |
| 2018-03-23 | S783989 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2018-04-19 | S723698 | 0.491 ppm |
| 2018-04-19 | S723699 | 0.0603 ppm |
| 2018-04-19 | S723700 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2018-05-18 | S363500 | 0.0600 ppm |
| 2018-05-18 | S363501 | 0.733 ppm |
| 2018-05-18 | S363502 | 0.309 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | S723737 | 0.0652 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | S723738 | 0.302 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | S723739 | 0.195 ppm |
| 2018-07-12 | S723764 | 0.0810 ppm |
| 2018-07-12 | S723765 | 0.574 ppm |
| 2018-07-12 | S723771 | 0.418 ppm |
| 2018-08-09 | S723749 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2018-08-09 | S723750 | 0.176 ppm |
| 2018-08-09 | S723751 | 0.816 ppm |
| 2018-09-11 | S723780 | 0.839 ppm |
| 2018-09-11 | S723781 | 0.0762 ppm |
| 2018-09-11 | S723782 | 0.754 ppm |
| 2018-10-17 | S723787 | 0.832 ppm |
| 2018-10-17 | S723788 | 0.269 ppm |
| 2018-10-17 | S723789 | 0.0744 ppm |
| 2018-11-14 | S723809 | 0.0708 ppm |
| 2018-11-14 | S723811 | 0.124 ppm |
| 2018-11-14 | S723816 | 0.201 ppm |
| 2018-12-12 | S723824 | 0.0625 ppm |
| 2018-12-12 | S723825 | 0.526 ppm |
| 2018-12-12 | S723831 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2018-12-21 | S855200 | 0.753 ppm |
| 2018-12-27 | S792345 | 0.0636 ppm |
| 2019-01-15 | S723832 | 0.0710 ppm |
| 2019-01-15 | S723833 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2019-01-15 | S723834 | 0.387 ppm |
| 2019-02-19 | S723773 | 0.0525 ppm |
| 2019-02-19 | S723774 | 0.752 ppm |
| 2019-02-19 | S723775 | 0.0814 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | S723842 | 0.773 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | S723843 | 0.0573 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | S723844 | 0.148 ppm |
| 2019-04-15 | S723870 | 0.755 ppm |
| 2019-04-15 | S723871 | 0.127 ppm |
| 2019-04-15 | S723872 | 0.0515 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | S723819 | 0.547 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | S723820 | 0.533 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | S723823 | 0.681 ppm |
| 2019-06-11 | S723889 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2019-06-11 | S723898 | 0.578 ppm |
| 2019-07-09 | S723800 | 0.548 ppm |
| 2019-07-09 | S723803 | 0.557 ppm |
| 2019-07-09 | S723806 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | S723890 | 0.0678 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | S723893 | 0.0670 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | S723896 | 0.0665 ppm |
| 2019-09-10 | S723922 | 0.342 ppm |
| 2019-09-10 | S723925 | 0.797 ppm |
| 2019-09-10 | S723928 | 0.0634 ppm |
| 2019-10-08 | S723899 | 0.569 ppm |
| 2019-10-08 | S723926 | 0.0737 ppm |
| 2019-10-08 | S723927 | 0.828 ppm |
| 2019-10-29 | S920412 | 0.0670 ppm |
| 2019-10-29 | S925122 | 0.579 ppm |
| 2019-10-29 | S925123 | 0.782 ppm |
| 2019-11-05 | S723911 | 0.0724 ppm |
| 2019-11-05 | S723912 | 0.813 ppm |
| 2019-11-05 | S896022 | 0.205 ppm |
| 2019-12-10 | S896027 | 0.0597 ppm |
| 2019-12-10 | S896028 | 0.652 ppm |
| 2019-12-10 | S896031 | 0.528 ppm |
| 2020-01-07 | S896044 | 0.0661 ppm |
| 2020-01-07 | S896045 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2020-01-07 | S896046 | 0.626 ppm |
| 2020-02-04 | S723761 | 0.492 ppm |
| 2020-02-04 | S925564 | 0.0688 ppm |
| 2020-03-10 | S896054 | 0.0699 ppm |
| 2020-03-10 | S896055 | 0.838 ppm |
| 2020-03-10 | S896056 | 0.362 ppm |
| 2020-04-08 | S896067 | 0.576 ppm |
| 2020-04-08 | S896068 | 0.577 ppm |
| 2020-04-08 | S896069 | 0.565 ppm |
| 2020-05-05 | S896065 | 0.793 ppm |
| 2020-05-05 | S896066 | 0.553 ppm |
| 2020-05-05 | S896076 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2020-06-02 | S896091 | 0.407 ppm |
| 2020-06-02 | S896092 | 0.483 ppm |
| 2020-06-02 | S896093 | 0.813 ppm |
| 2020-07-08 | S896095 | 0.604 ppm |
| 2020-07-08 | S925879 | 0.391 ppm |
| 2020-08-06 | S363538 | 0.205 ppm |
| 2020-08-06 | S363539 | 0.278 ppm |
| 2020-08-06 | S363540 | 0.357 ppm |
| 2020-09-03 | S902026 | 0.808 ppm |
| 2020-09-03 | S902027 | 0.371 ppm |
| 2020-09-03 | S902028 | 0.0601 ppm |
| 2020-10-08 | S902029 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2020-10-08 | S902030 | 0.461 ppm |
| 2020-10-08 | S902031 | 0.0552 ppm |
| 2020-11-04 | S925939 | 0.728 ppm |
| 2020-11-04 | S925940 | 0.229 ppm |
| 2020-11-04 | S925941 | 0.265 ppm |
| 2020-12-02 | S925942 | 0.574 ppm |
| 2020-12-02 | S925943 | 0.0624 ppm |
| 2020-12-02 | S925944 | 0.678 ppm |
| 2020-12-07 | S969652 | 0.0608 ppm |
| 2020-12-07 | S969653 | 0.694 ppm |
| 2020-12-07 | S969654 | 0.541 ppm |
| 2021-01-12 | S925949 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2021-01-12 | S925950 | 0.842 ppm |
| 2021-01-12 | S925951 | 0.571 ppm |
| 2021-02-02 | S902032 | 0.0995 ppm |
| 2021-02-02 | S925952 | 0.231 ppm |
| 2021-02-02 | S925953 | 0.549 ppm |
| 2021-03-02 | S902033 | 0.0560 ppm |
| 2021-03-02 | S902034 | 0.812 ppm |
| 2021-03-02 | S902035 | 0.508 ppm |
| 2021-04-07 | S902036 | 0.0639 ppm |
| 2021-04-07 | S902037 | 0.0629 ppm |
| 2021-04-07 | S902039 | 0.105 ppm |
| 2021-05-04 | S902040 | 0.146 ppm |
| 2021-05-04 | S902041 | 0.785 ppm |
| 2021-06-01 | S902043 | 0.793 ppm |
| 2021-06-01 | S902044 | 0.0574 ppm |
| 2021-06-01 | S902045 | 0.168 ppm |
| 2021-07-06 | S902046 | 0.0557 ppm |
| 2021-07-06 | S902047 | 0.291 ppm |
| 2021-07-06 | S902048 | 0.434 ppm |
| 2021-08-03 | S363541 | 0.424 ppm |
| 2021-08-03 | S363542 | 0.474 ppm |
| 2021-08-03 | S902049 | 0.0627 ppm |
| 2021-09-07 | S363545 | 0.0624 ppm |
| 2021-09-07 | S363547 | 0.483 ppm |
| 2021-09-07 | S363548 | 0.524 ppm |
| 2021-10-05 | S902056 | 0.811 ppm |
| 2021-10-05 | S902057 | 0.817 ppm |
| 2021-10-05 | S902058 | 0.807 ppm |
| 2021-10-06 | S1117613 | 0.0639 ppm |
| 2021-10-06 | S1117614 | 0.814 ppm |
| 2021-10-06 | S1117615 | 0.125 ppm |
| 2021-11-09 | S902059 | 0.775 ppm |
| 2021-11-09 | S902061 | 0.149 ppm |
| 2021-11-09 | S902062 | 0.232 ppm |
| 2021-12-14 | S902063 | 0.842 ppm |
| 2021-12-14 | S902064 | 0.161 ppm |
| 2021-12-14 | S902065 | 0.0714 ppm |
| 2022-01-04 | S902066 | 0.0749 ppm |
| 2022-01-04 | S902067 | 0.849 ppm |
| 2022-01-04 | S902068 | 0.668 ppm |
| 2022-02-08 | S902072 | 0.0620 ppm |
| 2022-02-08 | S902073 | 0.832 ppm |
| 2022-03-01 | S902123 | 0.0643 ppm |
| 2022-03-01 | S902124 | 0.777 ppm |
| 2022-03-01 | S902125 | 0.145 ppm |
| 2022-04-05 | S902126 | 0.134 ppm |
| 2022-04-05 | S902127 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2022-04-05 | S902128 | 0.162 ppm |
| 2022-05-03 | S902129 | 0.831 ppm |
| 2022-05-03 | S902130 | 0.0555 ppm |
| 2022-05-03 | S902131 | 0.0829 ppm |
| 2022-06-08 | S902135 | 0.0682 ppm |
| 2022-06-08 | S902136 | 0.0653 ppm |
| 2022-06-08 | S902137 | 0.551 ppm |
| 2022-07-05 | S902138 | 0.846 ppm |
| 2022-07-05 | S902139 | 0.626 ppm |
| 2022-07-05 | S902140 | 0.133 ppm |
| 2022-08-02 | S902141 | 0.0694 ppm |
| 2022-08-02 | S902142 | 0.155 ppm |
| 2022-08-02 | S902143 | 0.854 ppm |
| 2022-09-06 | S902144 | 0.843 ppm |
| 2022-09-06 | S902145 | 0.0654 ppm |
| 2022-09-06 | S902146 | 0.125 ppm |
| 2022-10-04 | S902147 | 0.564 ppm |
| 2022-10-04 | S902148 | 0.160 ppm |
| 2022-11-01 | S902149 | 0.172 ppm |
| 2022-11-01 | S902150 | 0.125 ppm |
| 2022-11-18 | S1242999 | 0.0892 ppm |
| 2022-11-18 | S1243000 | 0.234 ppm |
| 2022-12-06 | S902151 | 0.0923 ppm |
| 2022-12-06 | S902152 | 0.593 ppm |
| 2022-12-13 | S1257393 | 0.817 ppm |
| 2023-01-03 | S363543 | 0.101 ppm |
| 2023-01-03 | S363546 | ND |
| 2023-01-03 | S363549 | 0.785 ppm |
| 2023-02-01 | S902153 | 0.176 ppm |
| 2023-02-01 | S902154 | ND |
| 2023-02-01 | S902155 | 0.835 ppm |
| 2023-03-07 | S902158 | ND |
| 2023-04-04 | S902159 | ND |
| 2023-04-04 | S902160 | 0.431 ppm |
| 2023-04-04 | S902161 | 0.171 ppm |
| 2023-05-02 | S902162 | ND |
| 2023-05-02 | S902163 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2023-05-02 | S902164 | 0.438 ppm |
| 2023-06-06 | S902165 | 0.816 ppm |
| 2023-06-06 | S902166 | ND |
| 2023-06-06 | S902168 | ND |
| 2023-07-05 | S902167 | ND |
| 2023-07-05 | S902170 | ND |
| 2023-08-01 | S902171 | ND |
| 2023-08-01 | S902172 | 0.622 ppm |
| 2023-08-01 | S902173 | 0.219 ppm |
| 2023-09-05 | S902174 | ND |
| 2023-09-05 | S902175 | 0.262 ppm |
| 2023-09-05 | S902176 | 0.838 ppm |
| 2023-10-16 | S902177 | 0.806 ppm |
| 2023-10-16 | S902178 | ND |
| 2023-10-16 | S902179 | 0.123 ppm |
| 2023-11-07 | S902180 | 0.267 ppm |
| 2023-11-07 | S902181 | ND |
| 2023-11-07 | S902187 | 0.321 ppm |
| 2023-11-09 | S1313280 | 0.431 ppm |
| 2023-11-09 | S1313283 | 0.281 ppm |
| 2023-11-09 | S1313287 | 0.203 ppm |
| 2023-12-05 | S902182 | 0.653 ppm |
| 2023-12-05 | S902183 | 0.370 ppm |
| 2023-12-05 | S902184 | 0.789 ppm |