Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Fluoride

City of Gautier

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.

 

20

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014N/A00N/A
20150.563 ppm880.460 ppm - 0.795 ppm
2016N/A00N/A
20170.588 ppm440.463 ppm - 0.686 ppm
2018N/A00N/A
20190.544 ppm880.302 ppm - 0.813 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
2015-04-06150407-023IN0.541 ppm
2015-04-06150407-022IN0.539 ppm
2015-04-06150407-021IN0.795 ppm
2015-04-06150407-020IN0.535 ppm
2015-04-06150407-019IN0.477 ppm
2015-04-06150407-018IN0.644 ppm
2015-04-06150407-017IN0.460 ppm
2015-04-06150407-016IN0.516 ppm
2017-08-17170818-003PC0.620 ppm
2017-08-17170818-004PC0.584 ppm
2017-08-17170818-002PC0.686 ppm
2017-08-17170818-001PC0.463 ppm
2019-03-25190326-022IN0.631 ppm
2019-03-25190326-029IN0.619 ppm
2019-03-25190326-028IN0.417 ppm
2019-03-25190326-027IN0.813 ppm
2019-03-25190326-026IN0.425 ppm
2019-03-25190326-025IN0.634 ppm
2019-03-25190326-024IN0.302 ppm
2019-03-25190326-023IN0.510 ppm