Have You Been Consuming Too Much Fluoride?

If you head to the dentist every six months—which we know you do—then you’re already familiar with fluoride, the mineral that protects teeth from decay and cavities and reduces pain. We get it in everything from our toothpaste, mouthwashes, and even tap water, thanks to the U.S. government adding fluoride to our public H2O supplies for the past 70-some years.

But the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently announced new recommendations to lower the level of fluoride added to our water. While previous doses ranged from 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, the HHS now says 0.7 milligrams is the ideal amount—leading us to wonder, have we been getting too much of a good thing?

The short answer: No. According to Mark Wolff, D.D.S., associate dean for pre-doctoral clinical education at the New York University College of Dentistry, “toxic levels of fluoride are very, very high—dozens of times greater than 1 milligram per liter of water.” Signs of someone who’s overdosed on fluoride show up in very obvious ways: Malformed choppers or a white haze in developing mouths, and browning on adult teeth. And even those teeth are technically healthy—they just don’t look pretty.

New recommendations for water fluoridation, rather, come because U.S. residents are getting their fluoride from other sources now more than ever. According to the HHS, we consume fluoride each time we drink beverages and eat foods made with fluoridated water—including soda and processed snacks—as well as in our toothpastes, mouthwashes, dietary supplements, and prescription dental care.

“We’ve seen a trend of consuming fluoride from more than just water,” explains Wolff. “The [HHS] will adjust its recommendations based on how much fluoride it anticipates the average population is getting—and it’s determined we no longer need to rely so heavily on our water supply to get our optimal dose of fluoride.”

Considering its benefits and relatively low risk, we should be asking ourselves if we’re getting enough fluoride, Wolff cautions. “If you have a cavity every time you see the dentist, your dentist should be telling you to add more fluoride,” he says. The easiest ways to increase your fluoride consumption is with an over-the-counter toothpaste or mouthwash that contains the mineral. Or, in serious cases of decay, your dentist can write you a prescription for a toothpaste with a higher concentration of fluoride.

“toxic levels of fluoride are very, very high—dozens of times greater than 1 milligram per liter of water.”

Is he kidding? Instant reaction he is right but a lifetime of exposure you would be crippled by far lower amounts going by evidence from places like India with high fluoride levels in the water.