Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Town of Hampstead

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.

 

34

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND110ND
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND80ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND20ND
2023ND50ND

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
2018-06-04E054175_11ND
2018-09-05E055512_03ND
2018-09-05E055512_19ND
2018-09-05E055512_17ND
2018-09-05E055512_14ND
2018-09-05E055512_09ND
2018-09-05E055512_07ND
2018-09-05E055512_05ND
2018-10-02E19001150001ND
2018-10-02E19001150002ND
2018-12-03E056641_01ND
2020-03-03E062383_03ND
2020-03-03E062383_04ND
2020-03-03E20002981001ND
2020-06-03E20003720001ND
2020-07-29E21000291001ND
2020-09-01E064325_10ND
2020-09-01E064325_03ND
2020-12-14E065517_01ND
2021-01-21E21001848001ND
2021-06-02E067105_13ND
2021-09-01E068099_17ND
2021-09-01E068099_14ND
2021-09-01E068099_11ND
2021-09-01E068099_07ND
2021-09-01E068099_04ND
2021-12-02E069059-01ND
2022-03-01DW-0626ND
2022-08-03E2300025101ND
2023-03-01030123-316BB1-3ND
2023-09-05090523-316T-T1ND
2023-09-05090523-316Z-Z1ND
2023-12-04120423-316AA1ND
2023-12-04120423-316AA1-BB3ND