Fluoride
Bayleaf Master
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.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.114 ppm | 30 | 12 | ND - 0.630 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.112 ppm | 41 | 17 | ND - 0.790 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.0597 ppm | 30 | 10 | ND - 0.280 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.0768 ppm | 31 | 7 | ND - 0.530 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.0480 ppm | 41 | 6 | ND - 0.600 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0669 ppm | 32 | 11 | ND - 0.530 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-06 | C316051-01 | ND |
| 2014-01-09 | C316075-01 | ND |
| 2014-01-16 | C316057-01 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2014-01-20 | C316036-01 | ND |
| 2014-01-27 | C316043-01 | ND |
| 2014-02-04 | C316006-01 | ND |
| 2014-02-04 | C316006-02 | ND |
| 2014-02-04 | C316006-03 | ND |
| 2014-02-04 | C316012-01 | ND |
| 2014-02-24 | C316040-01 | ND |
| 2014-02-24 | C316040-02 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2014-02-26 | C316016-01 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2014-04-03 | C404032-01 | ND |
| 2014-04-10 | C403006-01 | ND |
| 2014-04-15 | C404039-01 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2014-04-22 | C404024-01 | ND |
| 2014-05-08 | C402985-01 | 0.370 ppm |
| 2014-07-08 | C407788-01 | 0.250 ppm |
| 2014-07-10 | C407790-01 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2014-07-16 | C407806-01 | ND |
| 2014-07-16 | C407806-02 | ND |
| 2014-07-16 | C408013-01 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2014-07-21 | C407811-01 | ND |
| 2014-07-21 | C408792-01 | 0.160 ppm |
| 2014-07-31 | C407800-01 | ND |
| 2014-08-04 | C409899-01 | ND |
| 2014-08-04 | C409899-02 | ND |
| 2014-08-20 | C407812-01 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2014-08-27 | C410829-02 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2014-09-17 | C411467-01 | 0.360 ppm |
| 2015-01-07 | ND | |
| 2015-01-07 | ND | |
| 2015-01-07 | ND | |
| 2015-01-15 | ND | |
| 2015-01-15 | ND | |
| 2015-01-19 | 0.110 ppm | |
| 2015-01-19 | ND | |
| 2015-01-19 | 0.110 ppm | |
| 2015-01-20 | ND | |
| 2015-01-28 | ND | |
| 2015-01-28 | 0.150 ppm | |
| 2015-01-28 | ND | |
| 2015-01-28 | 0.120 ppm | |
| 2015-01-28 | 0.790 ppm | |
| 2015-01-29 | ND | |
| 2015-01-30 | 0.170 ppm | |
| 2015-01-30 | ND | |
| 2015-02-03 | ND | |
| 2015-03-24 | 0.670 ppm | |
| 2015-03-24 | ND | |
| 2015-04-06 | 0.710 ppm | |
| 2015-04-08 | ND | |
| 2015-04-20 | 0.110 ppm | |
| 2015-04-23 | ND | |
| 2015-04-24 | 0.110 ppm | |
| 2015-05-06 | 0.580 ppm | |
| 2015-07-16 | 0.110 ppm | |
| 2015-07-21 | ND | |
| 2015-07-23 | 0.380 ppm | |
| 2015-10-07 | ND | |
| 2015-10-07 | ND | |
| 2015-10-07 | ND | |
| 2015-10-07 | 0.140 ppm | |
| 2015-10-07 | 0.110 ppm | |
| 2015-10-07 | ND | |
| 2015-10-14 | ND | |
| 2015-10-21 | 0.110 ppm | |
| 2015-10-21 | 0.130 ppm | |
| 2015-11-18 | ND | |
| 2015-12-03 | ND | |
| 2015-12-10 | ND | |
| 2016-01-04 | C515806-01 | 0.250 ppm |
| 2016-01-06 | C515770-01 | ND |
| 2016-01-07 | C515766-01 | 0.120 ppm |
| 2016-01-07 | C515772-01 | ND |
| 2016-01-07 | C515776-01 | 0.130 ppm |
| 2016-01-07 | C515782-01 | ND |
| 2016-01-07 | C515787-01 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2016-01-07 | C515824-01 | 0.130 ppm |
| 2016-01-13 | C515801-01 | ND |
| 2016-01-13 | C515801-02 | ND |
| 2016-03-17 | C515831-01 | 0.230 ppm |
| 2016-03-23 | CZ02853-01 | ND |
| 2016-04-18 | CZ03128-01 | 0.220 ppm |
| 2016-04-19 | CZ03119-02 | ND |
| 2016-04-20 | CZ03124-02 | ND |
| 2016-04-20 | CZ03163-01 | ND |
| 2016-04-20 | CZ03163-02 | 0.130 ppm |
| 2016-04-25 | CZ05708-01 | ND |
| 2016-05-03 | CZ03137-02 | ND |
| 2016-05-16 | CZ03159-01 | ND |
| 2016-05-17 | CZ07300-01 | ND |
| 2016-05-19 | CZ07383-01 | ND |
| 2016-06-14 | CZ09075-01 | 0.120 ppm |
| 2016-07-21 | CZ08296-01 | ND |
| 2016-10-03 | CZ13730-01 | ND |
| 2016-10-12 | CZ13735-01 | ND |
| 2016-10-14 | CZ13738-01 | ND |
| 2016-10-14 | CZ13741-01 | ND |
| 2016-11-09 | CZ13736-01 | ND |
| 2016-11-09 | CZ13736-02 | 0.180 ppm |
| 2017-01-16 | CZ18688-01 | ND |
| 2017-01-17 | CZ18653-01 | ND |
| 2017-01-17 | CZ18675-01 | ND |
| 2017-01-17 | CZ18682-01 | ND |
| 2017-01-17 | CZ19034-01 | ND |
| 2017-01-18 | CA00819-01 | ND |
| 2017-01-18 | CZ18679-01 | ND |
| 2017-01-18 | CZ18679-02 | 0.350 ppm |
| 2017-01-19 | CZ18713-01 | ND |
| 2017-01-20 | CZ18657-01 | ND |
| 2017-03-29 | CZ18694-01 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2017-03-30 | CA05012-01 | ND |
| 2017-04-17 | CA02813-01 | ND |
| 2017-04-17 | CA02835-01 | ND |
| 2017-05-05 | CA02840-01 | ND |
| 2017-05-17 | CA02858-01 | ND |
| 2017-06-02 | CA02817-01 | ND |
| 2017-07-10 | CA07666-02 | ND |
| 2017-07-13 | CA07689-01 | ND |
| 2017-07-19 | CA07674-01 | ND |
| 2017-07-19 | CA07679-01 | ND |
| 2017-07-19 | CA07690-01 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2017-07-19 | CA07690-02 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2017-07-19 | CA07690-03 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2017-07-19 | CA07693-01 | 0.120 ppm |
| 2017-07-20 | CA07879-01 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2017-07-21 | CA11119-01 | ND |
| 2017-08-02 | CA07684-02 | ND |
| 2017-08-09 | CA07672-01 | ND |
| 2017-08-16 | CA12508-01 | ND |
| 2017-08-30 | CA12467-01 | ND |
| 2018-01-15 | CA18133-01 | ND |
| 2018-01-15 | CA18134-01 | ND |
| 2018-01-15 | CA18134-02 | ND |
| 2018-01-22 | CA18130-02 | ND |
| 2018-01-23 | CA18132-01 | ND |
| 2018-01-23 | CA18132-02 | ND |
| 2018-01-23 | CB00989-01 | ND |
| 2018-01-24 | CA18116-01 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2018-01-29 | CA18141-01 | ND |
| 2018-01-31 | CA18114-01 | ND |
| 2018-01-31 | CA18139-01 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2018-01-31 | CA18193-04 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2018-02-01 | CB01533-01 | ND |
| 2018-02-01 | CB01533-02 | ND |
| 2018-02-20 | CB02384-01 | ND |
| 2018-02-21 | CA18175-01 | ND |
| 2018-02-21 | CA18187-01 | ND |
| 2018-02-22 | CA18171-01 | ND |
| 2018-02-22 | CA18173-01 | ND |
| 2018-04-02 | CB03258-01RE1 | ND |
| 2018-04-16 | CB03266-01 | ND |
| 2018-04-18 | CB03229-01 | ND |
| 2018-04-18 | CB03247-01 | ND |
| 2018-04-19 | CB03222-01 | ND |
| 2018-04-25 | CB03262-01 | 0.490 ppm |
| 2018-07-20 | CB08096-01 | ND |
| 2018-07-25 | CB08090-01RE1 | 0.350 ppm |
| 2018-07-25 | CB08097-01 | ND |
| 2018-09-25 | CB14498-01 | ND |
| 2018-10-16 | CB14299-01 | ND |
| 2018-10-23 | CB14302-01 | ND |
| 2018-10-23 | CB14304-01 | ND |
| 2018-10-26 | CB14301-01 | ND |
| 2018-10-26 | CB14301-02 | ND |
| 2018-10-26 | CB14301-03 | ND |
| 2018-10-26 | CB14301-04 | ND |
| 2018-10-26 | CB14301-05 | ND |
| 2018-10-26 | CB14301-06 | ND |
| 2018-10-26 | CB14301-07 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2018-10-26 | CB14301-08 | ND |
| 2018-10-26 | CB14301-09 | ND |
| 2019-01-15 | CB18633-01 | ND |
| 2019-01-15 | CB18633-02 | ND |
| 2019-01-16 | CB18616-01 | ND |
| 2019-01-23 | CB18599-01 | ND |
| 2019-01-23 | CB18603-01 | ND |
| 2019-01-23 | CB18605-01 | ND |
| 2019-01-31 | CB18609-01 | ND |
| 2019-02-05 | CB18664-01 | ND |
| 2019-02-15 | CB18657-01 | ND |
| 2019-02-21 | CB18620-01 | 0.210 ppm |
| 2019-03-12 | CB18636-01 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2019-03-26 | CB19049-01 | ND |
| 2019-04-15 | CC04000-01 | ND |
| 2019-04-15 | CC04000-02 | ND |
| 2019-04-15 | CC04000-03 | ND |
| 2019-04-17 | CC04012-01 | 0.180 ppm |
| 2019-04-17 | CC04051-01 | ND |
| 2019-04-17 | CC04051-02 | 0.120 ppm |
| 2019-04-24 | CC04047-01 | ND |
| 2019-04-25 | CC06328-01 | 0.130 ppm |
| 2019-05-08 | 37729_19-21558 | 0.220 ppm |
| 2019-05-08 | 37729_19-21559 | 0.160 ppm |
| 2019-05-08 | 37729_19-21566 | ND |
| 2019-05-08 | 37729_19-21567 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | CC08605-01 | ND |
| 2019-09-16 | CC10478-01 | ND |
| 2019-10-30 | CC15776-01 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2019-10-31 | CC15774-01 | ND |
| 2019-10-31 | CC15774-02 | 0.120 ppm |
| 2019-11-07 | CC15778-01 | ND |
| 2019-12-20 | CC15769-01 | ND |
| 2019-12-30 | CC15772-01 | 0.130 ppm |