The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) is aware of the United States District Court – Northern District of California Food & Water Watch v. the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruling that fluoridation of water at 0.7 milligrams per liter poses an unreasonable risk of reduced IQ in children. The Court’s ruling relied heavily on United States National Toxicology Program (NTP) review (“NTP” is cited 131 times). But the NTP Monograph on the State of the Science Concerning Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopment and Cognition: a Systematic Review released in August 2024 clearly stated, in bold, “This Monograph and Addendum do not address whether the sole exposure to fluoride added to drinking water in some countries (i.e., fluoridation, at 0.7 mg/L in the United States and Canada) is associated with a measurable effect on IQ.” The NTP review further stated that “[m]ore studies are needed to fully understand the potential for lower fluoride exposure to affect children’s IQ.” Hence, the Court’s decision exceeds what the NTP concluded.
The AADOCR and specifically the AADOCR Science Information Committee conducted a thorough evaluation and risk of bias assessment of the studies contained in the NTP review and in the Court’s decision and reached a different conclusion than the Court. The AADOCR continues to support community water fluoridation as a safe and effective, evidence-based intervention for the prevention of dental caries. Nonetheless, the AADOCR respects the Court’s decision and awaits the response from the EPA. In the meantime, AADOCR always welcomes new research on the safety and efficacy of community water fluoridation.