Study Finds No Fluoride Link to Birth Weight
In recent years, questions have been raised about whether fluoride exposure might be linked to adverse birth outcomes, such as infants with below normal body weights. Researchers at Columbia University examined this issue and found no association between mothers’ fluoride exposure and the risk of having a low-birth weight infant.
Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in soil and water. Decades of research shows that fluoride in water and toothpaste reduce the risk of tooth decay. This new study offers reassurance to parents about the safety of fluoride.
Previous studies on the safety of fluoride typically collected data on fluoride exposure through spot urine samples. However, research has challenged the accuracy of these samples. The Columbia University researchers chose a different way to measure fluoride exposure. “Our study takes a different approach by assessing fluoride exposure at the community level, reflecting real-world population exposure through public water systems,” explained Matthew Neidell, professor of health policy at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health.
The new study reached its conclusion after analyzing data from more than 11 million births that occurred in 677 U.S. counties between 1968 and 1988. The analysis compared within-county changes in birth outcomes before and after the introduction of water fluoridation. Researchers used non-fluoridated counties as the control for their analysis.
“We focused on birth outcomes, particularly birth weight, which is a widely accepted summary measure of infant health and is predictive of later-life health and human capital,” Neidell said. He is also a member of the Columbia Center for Environmental Health.
