A recent ruling by a US Federal Court has raised significant concerns about the safety of water fluoridation at the prescribed level of 0.7 mg/L, which is the standard in the United States.
The court found that this level of fluoridation presents an “unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment”. The decision has reignited the fluoridation debate in New Zealand, where many councils fluoridate water at higher levels, often targeting up to 0.85 mg/L, with some reaching as high as 1.0 mg/L.
The US court ruling drew on the findings of prominent toxicologist Prof Philippe Grandjean, who highlighted research showing a correlation between fluoride exposure during pregnancy and reduced IQ in children. The judge noted that even low levels of maternal urinary fluoride – common in both the US and New Zealand – are associated with a measurable drop in children’s IQ.
In New Zealand, recent studies revealed median urinary fluoride levels of 0.82 mg/L in fluoridated regions like Palmerston North, aligning with concerning data from the US case.
This has prompted Fluoride Free NZ to call for the immediate cessation of water fluoridation nationwide. The group warns that continuing fluoridation could result in long-term damage to children’s central nervous systems, leading to cognitive impairments such as lower IQ and increased rates of ADHD, anxiety and depression.
Fluoride Free NZ has urged the Director-General of Health Dr Diana Sarfati to halt all fluoridation schemes across the country. They are also calling on local councils to resist directives to fluoridate their water supplies, following the judge’s findings that “there is little dispute” over fluoride posing a hazard to human health.
The court’s decision emphasises that the risk posed by fluoride is not limited to extreme exposure levels but can be harmful even at lower concentrations. A systematic review by the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) reinforced these findings, showing that fluoride exposure at levels as low as 1.5 mg/L – or even lower – has been associated with adverse cognitive effects in children.
The ruling bolsters long-standing arguments by anti-fluoridation advocates in New Zealand, who have maintained that the practice is unsafe. They are now calling for urgent action to stop fluoridation and for citizens to join the effort by signing petitions and contacting their local councils.
This article was originally published by Daily Telegraph New Zealand.
