Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Fluoride

Cheney, City of

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.

 

90

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.457 ppm31310.266 ppm - 0.751 ppm
20190.407 ppm50500.218 ppm - 0.722 ppm
2020N/A00N/A
20210.767 ppm220.751 ppm - 0.782 ppm
20220.631 ppm110.631 ppm
20230.405 ppm660.350 ppm - 0.454 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
2018-04-260.539 ppm
2018-04-260.396 ppm
2018-05-310.353 ppm
2018-05-310.427 ppm
2018-05-310.677 ppm
2018-05-310.480 ppm
2018-05-310.396 ppm
2018-05-310.423 ppm
2018-06-290.384 ppm
2018-06-290.356 ppm
2018-06-290.433 ppm
2018-06-290.681 ppm
2018-06-290.349 ppm
2018-06-290.427 ppm
2018-07-170.504 ppm
2018-07-240.308 ppm
2018-07-240.376 ppm
2018-07-240.671 ppm
2018-07-240.409 ppm
2018-07-240.356 ppm
2018-07-240.414 ppm
2018-09-270.435 ppm
2018-09-270.358 ppm
2018-09-270.266 ppm
2018-09-270.669 ppm
2018-09-270.343 ppm
2018-09-270.396 ppm
2018-11-280.429 ppm
2018-11-280.746 ppm
2018-12-270.426 ppm
2018-12-270.751 ppm
2019-01-080.432 ppm
2019-01-300.722 ppm
2019-01-300.322 ppm
2019-01-300.445 ppm
2019-02-120.353 ppm
2019-02-260.645 ppm
2019-02-260.381 ppm
2019-02-260.309 ppm
2019-02-260.397 ppm
2019-03-250.480 ppm
2019-03-250.475 ppm
2019-03-250.481 ppm
2019-03-250.480 ppm
2019-03-250.315 ppm
2019-04-300.659 ppm
2019-04-300.420 ppm
2019-04-300.288 ppm
2019-05-140.408 ppm
2019-05-300.357 ppm
2019-05-300.355 ppm
2019-05-300.236 ppm
2019-05-300.304 ppm
2019-05-300.370 ppm
2019-05-300.625 ppm
2019-06-270.328 ppm
2019-06-270.301 ppm
2019-06-270.368 ppm
2019-06-270.604 ppm
2019-06-270.225 ppm
2019-06-270.346 ppm
2019-07-300.577 ppm
2019-07-300.354 ppm
2019-07-300.218 ppm
2019-07-300.344 ppm
2019-07-300.328 ppm
2019-07-300.316 ppm
2019-07-300.369 ppm
2019-08-270.307 ppm
2019-08-270.315 ppm
2019-08-270.315 ppm
2019-09-250.318 ppm
2019-09-250.625 ppm
2019-09-250.329 ppm
2019-10-310.328 ppm
2019-10-310.694 ppm
2019-11-260.326 ppm
2019-11-260.610 ppm
2019-12-200.289 ppm
2019-12-200.388 ppm
2019-12-200.557 ppm
2021-06-2941349100.782 ppm
2021-07-2741598760.751 ppm
2022-07-2243193940.631 ppm
2023-09-2645243760.350 ppm
2023-09-2645243780.429 ppm
2023-09-2645243770.411 ppm
2023-09-2645243790.421 ppm
2023-11-1345458650.366 ppm
2023-11-1345458800.454 ppm