Drinking Water Can Lower Your Children’s IQ. Isn’t that a scary thought? For many years, doctors and dentists have recommended that children drink fluoridated water to reduce their risk of cavities. Now, scientists tell us that fluoride may actually be toxic to our children.
First, the EPA and the Department of Health and Human Resources actually want the government to reduce the amount of fluoride added to drinking water. This recommendation is based on the fact that there have been an increasing number of cases of children having fluorosis (Young, 2011).
Fluorosis is a dental condition where too much fluoride causes white streaks and spotting on children’s teeth.
The story only gets worse with a recent analysis of the effects of fluoride on Chinese children. Two seventy individual studies were reviewed. The combined results of these studies strongly indicate that fluoride can harm a child’s mental development — as indicated by reduced IQ scores (Choi & Grandjean, 2012).
So, governments add fluoride to drinking water to promote dental health. But many health professionals have noted that fluoride is actually having adverse effects on children’s teeth. Now, the latest research shows that children who take in large amounts of fluoride through drinking water have lower IQs.
I don’t know about you, but every time I look at my kitchen faucet, I can’ help but think about the dangers of fluoride. Now, besides routinely double-checking my water filters to make sure they effectively filter fluoride, I will definitely continue to stop our dentist from putting this toxin on our children’s teeth. And fluoridated toothpaste is completely banned from my home.
For learn more about fluorosis and natural treatments for fluorosis and other dental and mouth conditions, call Dr. Michael E. Doyle of Stamford Integrative Medicine at 203-324-4747.
