Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Maine Water Company Camden & Rockland

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.

 

79

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.840 ppm13130.710 ppm - 0.930 ppm
20190.762 ppm13130.640 ppm - 0.840 ppm
20200.782 ppm13130.720 ppm - 0.880 ppm
20210.741 ppm14140.660 ppm - 0.850 ppm
20220.864 ppm13130.740 ppm - 0.980 ppm
20230.789 ppm13130.640 ppm - 0.930 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
2018-01-11180111-00050.770 ppm
2018-02-14180214-00700.900 ppm
2018-03-21180321-00350.710 ppm
2018-04-11180411-00760.890 ppm
2018-05-111805-01842-0010.780 ppm
2018-05-171805-02448-0010.930 ppm
2018-06-131806-01816-0080.840 ppm
2018-07-181807-02375-0080.770 ppm
2018-08-201808-02762-0010.900 ppm
2018-09-121809-01470-0080.860 ppm
2018-10-171810-02279-0080.910 ppm
2018-11-201811-02040-0080.890 ppm
2018-12-121812-01275-0080.770 ppm
2019-01-091901-00757-0070.640 ppm
2019-02-131902-01129-0080.840 ppm
2019-03-131903-01189-0080.780 ppm
2019-04-101904-01335-0080.780 ppm
2019-05-021905-00371-0010.780 ppm
2019-05-151905-02002-0080.720 ppm
2019-06-191906-02550-0080.790 ppm
2019-07-171907-02478-0080.720 ppm
2019-08-141908-02069-0060.770 ppm
2019-09-111909-01435-0080.740 ppm
2019-10-021910-00389-0030.770 ppm
2019-11-121911-01220-0030.790 ppm
2019-12-111912-01098-0080.790 ppm
2020-01-222001-02342-0080.790 ppm
2020-02-122002-01125-0080.780 ppm
2020-03-182003-02031-0050.790 ppm
2020-04-012004-00123-0060.810 ppm
2020-05-142005-01565-0060.880 ppm
2020-06-032006-00540-0040.730 ppm
2020-07-222007-03484-0040.800 ppm
2020-08-122008-01815-0040.720 ppm
2020-09-022009-00450-0010.790 ppm
2020-09-092009-01260-0060.810 ppm
2020-10-012010-00191-0040.720 ppm
2020-11-022011-00112-0040.790 ppm
2020-12-022012-00387-0060.750 ppm
2021-01-062101-00475-0040.770 ppm
2021-02-082102-00690-0040.700 ppm
2021-03-032103-00421-0060.760 ppm
2021-03-222103-02823-0060.850 ppm
2021-04-122104-01540-0040.760 ppm
2021-05-052105-00672-0060.770 ppm
2021-05-052105-00664-0010.740 ppm
2021-06-022106-00494-0060.770 ppm
2021-07-072107-00854-0040.680 ppm
2021-08-042108-00688-0040.700 ppm
2021-09-012109-00252-0060.660 ppm
2021-10-112110-02260-0040.710 ppm
2021-11-032111-00673-0040.680 ppm
2021-12-012112-00314-0060.830 ppm
2022-01-052201-00542-0040.810 ppm
2022-02-022202-00502-0060.860 ppm
2022-03-022203-00388-0040.950 ppm
2022-04-062204-00993-0060.820 ppm
2022-05-112205-01925-0060.820 ppm
2022-06-062206-00895-0060.920 ppm
2022-07-142207-02731-0040.980 ppm
2022-08-102208-02537-0060.880 ppm
2022-09-072209-01100-0040.740 ppm
2022-10-062210-01318-0040.770 ppm
2022-10-192210-03966-0010.910 ppm
2022-11-072211-01385-0040.840 ppm
2022-12-052212-00720-0050.930 ppm
2023-01-042301-00505-0060.830 ppm
2023-01-172301-02743-0020.840 ppm
2023-02-132302-02133-0060.890 ppm
2023-03-022303-00380-0060.790 ppm
2023-04-052304-01010-0020.930 ppm
2023-05-032305-00762-0050.850 ppm
2023-06-012306-00304-0020.700 ppm
2023-07-052307-00353-0050.760 ppm
2023-08-022308-00701-0030.730 ppm
2023-09-132309-02906-0040.640 ppm
2023-10-042310-01045-0020.790 ppm
2023-11-082311-01668-0030.750 ppm
2023-12-062312-00990-0020.760 ppm