Background: Although fluoride may cause neurotoxicity in animal models and acute fluoride poisoning causes neurotoxicity in adults, very little is known of its effects on children’s neurodevelopment.
Objective: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies to investigate the effects of increased fluoride exposure and delayed neurobehavioral development.
Results: The standardized weighted mean difference in IQ score between exposed and reference populations was -0.45 (95% CI -0.56 to -0.35) using a random-effects model. Thus, children in high fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ scores than those who lived in low fluoride areas. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses also indicated inverse associations, although the substantial heterogeneity did not appear to decrease.
Conclusions: The results support the possibility of an adverse effect of high fluoride exposure on children’s neurodevelopment. Future research should include detailed individual-level information on prenatal exposure, neurobehavioral performance, and covariates for adjustment.
When Prof Connett during the 3 month consultation gave details of Chinese papers showing lower IQ in fluoridated areas the SHA rejected them now Harvard University indicates that there is a link. Meanwhile the SHA are steaming ahead to introduce this toxic waste into Southampton's water with money taken from their own budget that was ear marked for other mecdical services.
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This study supports the consistent findings from other studies but does not mention the fluoride concentration. When I referred to all the studies linking fluoridated water with lowered IQ, Professor Newton dismissed them all as he claims the studies I mentioned, from China, India and Iran, were conducted on communities with very high levels of naturally occurring fluoride. In his opinion, the findings are irrelevant to carefully managed schemes like Southampton, at a mere 1ppm fluoride.
These studies found adverse effects at less than 1ppm, and in 2004 the US Institute of Medicine National Academy of Sciences set the upper daily tolerable intake for babies at 0.7ppm. Recently, SCHER set a more specific upper limit for young children aged 1-6 years of 0.5 litres of water per day with advice that parents ensure no fluoride toothpaste is swallowed. Advice that would surely be impossible to follow.
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