Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Great Salt Bay Sanitary District

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.

 

78

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.757 ppm13130.520 ppm - 0.900 ppm
20190.758 ppm13130.420 ppm - 0.990 ppm
20200.788 ppm13130.670 ppm - 0.950 ppm
20210.856 ppm13130.500 ppm - 1.10 ppm
20220.752 ppm13130.480 ppm - 0.910 ppm
20230.867 ppm13130.600 ppm - 0.980 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
2018-01-09SL0149-20.770 ppm
2018-02-07SL1016-10.740 ppm
2018-03-21SL2397-10.870 ppm
2018-03-211803959-010.800 ppm
2018-04-09SL3043-10.750 ppm
2018-05-07SL3969-20.790 ppm
2018-06-05SL4991-20.780 ppm
2018-07-09SL6320-10.670 ppm
2018-08-06SL7374-10.740 ppm
2018-09-11SL8790-20.520 ppm
2018-10-16TL0076-20.680 ppm
2018-11-19TL1472-20.830 ppm
2018-12-03TL1978-10.900 ppm
2019-01-07SM0191-10.580 ppm
2019-02-11SM1368-10.820 ppm
2019-03-06SM2122-10.890 ppm
2019-03-181903613-010.800 ppm
2019-04-10SM3498-10.910 ppm
2019-05-09SM4540-20.800 ppm
2019-06-10SM5782-10.720 ppm
2019-07-17SM7374-10.420 ppm
2019-08-14SM8528-10.990 ppm
2019-09-12SM9570-20.760 ppm
2019-10-09TM0649-10.710 ppm
2019-11-18TM2255-10.760 ppm
2019-12-02TM2668-10.700 ppm
2020-01-23SN0637-30.670 ppm
2020-02-20SN1479-30.710 ppm
2020-03-09SN2006-10.740 ppm
2020-04-08SN2869-10.780 ppm
2020-05-11SN3611-20.800 ppm
2020-05-192003738-010.700 ppm
2020-06-10SN4655-10.940 ppm
2020-07-16SN5868-20.710 ppm
2020-08-04SN6480-20.710 ppm
2020-09-10SN7623-20.780 ppm
2020-10-19SN8767-10.950 ppm
2020-11-17SN9571-20.870 ppm
2020-12-15TN0258-20.890 ppm
2021-01-13SO0256-20.890 ppm
2021-02-10SO0907-30.860 ppm
2021-03-15SO1434-20.850 ppm
2021-04-22SO2229-21.10 ppm
2021-05-102101828-010.500 ppm
2021-05-20SO2989-30.540 ppm
2021-06-07SO3456-20.890 ppm
2021-07-20SO4632-31.000 ppm
2021-08-02SO5008-31.10 ppm
2021-09-14SO6172-30.810 ppm
2021-10-21SO7244-20.800 ppm
2021-11-08SO7790-10.810 ppm
2021-12-07SO8448-30.980 ppm
2022-01-06SP0085-20.760 ppm
2022-02-08SP0604-30.720 ppm
2022-03-08SP1051-30.830 ppm
2022-03-292203402-010.700 ppm
2022-04-07SP1579-20.480 ppm
2022-05-19SP2438-30.840 ppm
2022-06-14SP2988-20.910 ppm
2022-07-12SP3603-20.830 ppm
2022-08-04SP4228-20.820 ppm
2022-09-08SP5020-20.710 ppm
2022-10-04SP5596-20.700 ppm
2022-11-08SP6509-20.700 ppm
2022-12-06SP7133-20.780 ppm
2023-01-12SQ0192-20.960 ppm
2023-02-21SQ0899-20.600 ppm
2023-03-16SQ1289-20.950 ppm
2023-04-18SQ1824-20.980 ppm
2023-04-182303334-010.760 ppm
2023-05-11SQ2271-20.910 ppm
2023-06-06SQ2813-20.870 ppm
2023-07-18SQ3690-20.870 ppm
2023-08-17SQ4436-20.740 ppm
2023-09-12SQ4890-20.880 ppm
2023-10-17SQ5638-20.840 ppm
2023-11-16SQ6370-20.930 ppm
2023-12-12SQ6812-20.980 ppm