Reader says fluoride may cause risk of developmental disorders

I was not surprised to read the letter to the editor, “Reader objects to fluoridated water” in [The Times-Independent, Nov. 7], in which Susan Baffico states that studies in “Scientific Reports” journal last year found that people who consume larger amounts of fluoridated water have higher rates of thyroid dysfunction.

In the past, patients who had an overactive thyroid were prescribed fluoride by doctors to knock back their production of thyroid hormones.

Unfortunately, fluoride reduces the vital nutrient iodine in the human body and iodine is especially necessary during pregnancy. Evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that the combination of iodine deficiency and fluoride exposure results in a higher risk of developmental disorders in children, including impaired brain function.

— A. Wills
London