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Thursday 22 augusT 2024
U.S. government report says fluoride at twice the recommended

limit is linked to lower IQ in kids

it even after fluoride tooth- search Council, a private
Continued from Front paste brands hit the market nonprofit organization in
several years later. Though Washington, D.C., said lim-
The addition of low levels fluoride can come from a ited evidence from China
of fluoride to drinking water number of sources, drinking pointed to neurological
has long been considered water is the main source for effects in people exposed
one of the greatest public Americans, researchers say. to high levels of fluoride. It
health achievements of the Officials lowered their rec- called for more research
last century. ommendation for drinking into the effect of fluoride on
"I think this (report) is crucial water fluoride levels in 2015 intelligence.
in our understanding" of this to address a tooth condi- After more research con-
risk, said Ashley Malin, a Uni- tion called fluorosis, that tinued to raise questions,
versity of Florida researcher can cause splotches on the National Toxicology
who has studied the affect teeth and was becoming Program in 2016 started
of higher fluoride levels in more common in U.S. kids. working on a review of
pregnant women on their A child rinses a toothbrush in San Francisco on June 18, 2019. Separately, the Environ- the available studies that
children. She called it the Associated Press mental Protection Agency could provide guidance
most rigorously conducted has maintained a long- on whether new fluoride-
report of its kind. ed a fluoridation level of 0.7 sociation, which champi- standing requirement that limiting measures were
The long-awaited report re- milligrams per liter of water, ons water fluoridation, had water systems cannot have needed.
leased Wednesday comes and for five decades be- been critical of earlier ver- more than 4 milligrams There were earlier drafts but
from the National Toxicolo- fore the recommended sions of the new analysis of fluoride per liter. That the final document has re-
gy Program, part of the De- upper range was 1.2. The and Malin's research. Asked standard is designed to peatedly been held up. At
partment of Health and Hu- World Health Organization for comment, a spokes- prevent skeletal fluorosis, a one point, a committee of
man Services. It summarizes has set a safe limit for fluo- woman late Wednesday potentially crippling disor- experts said available re-
a review of studies, con- ride in drinking water of 1.5. afternoon emailed that the der which causes weaker search did not support an
ducted in Canada, China, The report said that about organization's experts were bones, stiffness and pain. earlier draft's conclusions.
India, Iran, Pakistan, and 0.6% of the U.S. population still reviewing the report. But more and more studies "Since fluoride is such an
Mexico, that concludes — about 1.9 million peo- Fluoride is a mineral that have increasingly pointed important topic to the pub-
that drinking water contain- ple — are on water systems exists naturally in water to a different problem, lic and to public health
ing more than 1.5 milligrams with naturally occurring flu- and soil. About 80 years suggesting a link between officials, it was imperative
of fluoride per liter is consist- oride levels of 1.5 milligrams ago, scientists discovered higher levels of fluoride and that we made every effort
ently associated with lower or higher. that people whose supplies brain development. to get the science right,"
IQs in kids. "The findings from this report naturally had more fluoride Researchers wondered said Rick Woychik, director
The report did not try to raise the questions about also had fewer cavities, trig- about the impact on de- of the National Toxicology
quantify exactly how many how these people can be gering a push to get more veloping fetuses and very Program, in a statement.
IQ points might be lost at protected and what makes Americans to use fluoride young children who might Malin said it makes sense
different levels of fluoride the most sense," Malin said. for better dental health. ingest water with baby for pregnant women to
exposure. But some of the The 324-page report did not In 1945, Grand Rapids, formula. Studies in animals lower their fluoride intake,
studies reviewed in the re- reach a conclusion about Michigan became the showed fluoride could im- not only from water but also
port suggested IQ was 2 to the risks of lower levels of first U.S. city to start add- pact neurochemistry cell from certain types of tea.
5 points lower in children fluoride, saying more study ing fluoride to tap water. function in brain regions It might also make sense
who'd had higher expo- is needed. It also did not In 1950, federal officials en- responsible for learning, to have policy discussions
sures. answer what high levels of dorsed water fluoridation memory, executive func- about whether to require
Since 2015, federal health fluoride might do to adults. to prevent tooth decay, tion and behavior. fluoride-content on bever-
officials have recommend- The American Dental As- and continued to promote In 2006, the National Re- age labels, she said.q

Ohio identifies 597 noncitizens who

voted or registered in recent elections

cast a ballot in a recent elec- in Ohio. Only a handful of suppression. LaRose said the
tion — a higher number than noncitizen-related cases are effort is ongoing and addi-
he normally finds but still a ever prosecuted. However, tional registrations could yet
tiny fraction of the state's this year's referrals come as be cancelled before Novem-
electorate. preventing noncitizen voting ber's presidential election.
Republican Secretary of has become a centerpiece LaRose has said his citizen-
State Frank LaRose said that of Republicans' 2024 cam- ship verification efforts this
of those cases, 138 were paign messaging. year are the most compre-
found to have cast ballots Earlier this year, LaRose hensive the office has ever
and 459 registered but did launched an audit of the undertaken. The analysis in-
not vote. They were identi- state's voter registration da- cludes cross-checks against
Ohio Secretary of State and Republican candidate for U.S.
Senate Frank LaRose speaks to supporters during a campaign fied as part of a routine re- tabase that resulted in the records provided by the
event in Hamilton, Ohio, Monday, March 18, 2024. view and referred to Ohio removal of 154,995 registra- Ohio Bureau of Motor Ve-
Associated Press Attorney General Dave Yost. tions that he said had been hicles, the Department of
The total compares to 148 confirmed to be abandoned Homeland Security's federal
By JULIE CARR SMYTH Wednesday referred for noncitizen cases referred in and inactive for at least four database of noncitizens, the
Associated Press possible prosecution 597 2022, 117 in 2021 and 354 consecutive years. Social Security Administra-
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — apparent noncitizens who in 2019. More than 8 million Civil rights organizations tion, federal jury pool data
Ohio's elections chief on either registered to vote or people are registered to vote decried the effort as voter and other resources.q