Childhood exposure to fluoride through public tap water isn’t associated with any emotional or behavioural issues, nor any negative executive functioning in adolescent years, according to a new study from Australia.
Researchers looked at more than 2,600 children in a longitudinal study that compared children who had spent their lives drinking fluoridated tap water with those who hadn’t, in order to see if exposure to fluoride in drinking water had any negative impacts.
What they found was that fluoridated water wasn’t associated with any decline, and that children who hadn’t been exposed to fluoridated water actually tended to score lower on emotional and executive functioning tests.
Fluoride is a substance that we’re familiar with in our toothpastes or at the dentist’s office, where it is used to help prevent tooth decay and make teeth stronger.
This mineral is also naturally occurring in water to varying levels. To create a standard for water quality, many municipalities and regions in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, among others, add fluoride to their water to achieve an optimal level for oral health.
However, enduring misinformation around fluoride has led to fears that fluoridated water could be a health risk of some kind.
This new study, published Sunday in the Journal of Dental Research, joins ample evidence suggesting those fears are unfounded.
“Water fluoridation is unquestionably effective in preventing dental (problems), and this study is an important addition to the body of literature documenting the safety of water fluoridation,” Brian O’Connell, president of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) and dean of the faculty of health sciences at Trinity College in Ireland, said in a press release. “The IADR recently reaffirmed its support for water fluoridation as this public health measure has a high benefit/cost ratio and benefits deprived communities the most, thus reducing health inequalities.”
In this new study, researchers looked at data from Australia’s National Child Oral Health Study, which was originally run from 2012 to 2014. This study took a cross-sectional look at the child population aged 5-14 in Australia to examine how oral health varied by social characteristics.
Researchers looked primarily at two groups: children who had been exposed to fluoridated water for all or most of their lives, and those who had little or no exposure to fluoridated water across the study period.
Fluoride exposure levels from birth to the age of five were estimated based on participants’ postal codes and known tap water levels in those areas. This was put together with information gathered at the start of the study period to create a rough “percentage lifetime exposed to fluoridated water”.
When researchers followed up with participants seven to eight years later, they used questionnaires and tests to assess the children’s emotional and behavioural status, as well as their executive functioning.
They then compared the results of those who had spent their lives drinking fluoridated water to those who had not.
Those who had a lower percentage of lifetime exposure to fluoridated water tended to score lower on emotional, behavioural and executive functioning questionnaires, while there was no association found between high percentages of lifetime exposure to fluoridated water and poorer scores on the questionnaires.
Researchers noted that social factors had an impact as well, with low household income among other attributes associated with lower emotional, behavioural and executive functioning scores.
Overall, they concluded that there was no sign that exposure to fluoridated water in the early years of childhood contributed to problems in childhood development.
Australia recommends a fluoridation range of 0.6-1.1 milligrams per litre, with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines allowing for a maximum of up to 1.5 mg/L.
In Canada, the optimal level of fluoride in our water is 0.7 mg/L, or 0.7 parts per million. These type of calculations assume that residents are also getting fluoride through their toothpaste or mouthwashes.
Like many substances we ingest daily, including salt and oxygen, fluoride can be toxic in large enough doses, but despite studies and careful guidelines, some are still concerned about its presence in water supplies.
This misinformation can have real consequences: a small community in the U.S. was recently shocked to learn that an official in the water department had lowered the fluoride levels without notice, a change that was discovered only after parents began noticing more cavities among their children.
The water and wastewater superintendent of Richmond, Vt., claimed he made the decision because he believed the levels were too high, adding that he doesn’t trust fluoride additives sourced from China, an opinion experts say is not based in fact.
The community has since voted to return the water to full fluoridation.
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
A B.C. man has been found not guilty of assaulting two RCMP officers – with the court finding he was resisting an "unlawful entry and arrest" in his home before he was tasered, taken down and hauled away in handcuffs.
A Montreal-area family confirmed to CTV News that the body of their loved one who died while on vacation in Cuba is being repatriated to Canada after it was mistakenly sent to Russia.
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
Mounties on Vancouver Island have confirmed that two bodies recovered by United States authorities earlier this week are those of a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia.
A jury has been selected for the trial of a Winnipeg man accused of killing four women.
British Columbia's first wildfire evacuation order of this season lasted under 24 hours, but local officials say dry conditions mean the risk is still high.
A Prince Edward Island chef and TV host is warning people about a fake video advertisement that features him offering hundreds of dollars worth of cookware for free -- in return for credit card details.
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Military forces in Burkina Faso killed 223 civilians, including babies and many children, in attacks on two villages accused of cooperating with militants, Human Rights Watch said in a report published Thursday.
Some U.S. universities called in police to break up demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war, resulting in ugly scuffles and dozens of arrests, while others appeared content to wait out student protests Thursday, as the final days of the semester ticked down and graduation ceremonies loomed.
More than 100 inmates escaped from an old and decrepit prison near Nigeria's capital after overnight heavy rains destroyed parts of the facility, a prison official said Thursday as security agencies searched for the fugitives.
A federal judge in New York rejected Donald Trump's request for a new trial on Thursday after a jury awarded US$83.3 million in damages to a longtime magazine columnist who sued the former president for defamation for calling her claim that he had sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store a lie.
Ariel Henry resigned Thursday as prime minister of Haiti, leaving the way clear for a new government to be formed in the Caribbean country, which has been wracked by gang violence that killed or injured more than 2,500 people from January to March.
The seven World Central Kitchen aid workers killed by Israeli airstrikes represented the "best of humanity" and risked everything "to feed people they did not know and will never meet," Jose Andres, the celebrity chef who founded the organization, told mourners who gathered Thursday to honor the dead.
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
The Ontario Court of Appeal has affirmed the constitutionality of a law that limits members of a spy watchdog from using their parliamentary immunity to speak out.
Canada's auto industry is experiencing a renaissance as it transitions from building gas-powered vehicles to ones that run on batteries, but some are raising the alarm over the protection of local jobs.
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
Spine surgery may never be the same for people with chronic back pain and other physical ailments.
TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.
Colombia has restricted the import of beef and beef products coming from U.S. states where dairy cows have tested positive for avian influenza as of April 15, according the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
China launched a three-member crew to its orbiting space station on Thursday as part of its ambitious program that aims to put astronauts on the moon by 2030.
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
A lawyer representing the estate of Tupac Shakur has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Drake after he used an AI-generated likeness of the late rapper's voice in a diss track.
In the last year, Tim Hortons has treated cottaging Canadians to a boat drivethru, revived its beloved Dutchie doughnut and launched flatbread pizzas. But perhaps its biggest surprise will come this summer.
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Ford’s electric vehicle unit reported that losses soared in the first quarter to US $1.3 billion, or US$132,000 for each of the 10,000 vehicles it sold in the first three months of the year.
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Wrexham AFC, co-owned by Canadian actor and Vancouver native Ryan Reynolds, is set to play Major League Soccer's Vancouver Whitecaps on July 27 at BC Place Stadium.
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Ford’s electric vehicle unit reported that losses soared in the first quarter to US $1.3 billion, or US$132,000 for each of the 10,000 vehicles it sold in the first three months of the year.
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
A made-in-China electric vehicle will hit North American dealers this summer offering power and efficiency similar to the Tesla Model Y, the world's best-selling EV, but for about US$8,000 less.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
One person was injured after a vehicle crashed through the front window of a dental clinic in downtown Vancouver Thursday.
The final weekend of April sees the Canucks in Nashville for Games 3 and 4 of their playoff series against the Predators, plus the opening weekend of the Richmond Night Market and B.C.'s largest Earth Day celebration in Surrey.
A B.C. man has been found not guilty of assaulting two RCMP officers – with the court finding he was resisting an "unlawful entry and arrest" in his home before he was tasered, taken down and hauled away in handcuffs.
Toronto police say the homicide unit is investigating after a man was reportedly pushed to his death from a balcony downtown late Wednesday night.
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Toronto police say they are searching for three suspects after a man was shot and killed inside an Etobicoke townhouse during what investigators have described as a violent home invasion.
Seven people were taken to Calgary hospitals on Thursday for carbon monoxide exposure.
The RCMP major crimes unit is investigating after a man was killed in Gleichen, Alta., on Wednesday evening.
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
The supervisor of a 20-year-old man who died after he was electrocuted while trimming hedges in Manotick in May 2023 has been charged with criminal negligence causing death. Meanwhile, the company owner has pleaded guilty to a charge laid by the Ministry of Labour.
As the cost of groceries increases, more Canadians are willing to go past the best before dates on food. A recent study out of Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab surveyed 9,109 Canadians to see how they are managing food safety risks.
Love them or hate them, roundabouts are found all-around the city, but a plan to a replace an Orléans intersection with one has some residents upset.
A mother and daughter are speaking out after a Quebec man was sentenced to house arrest for years of domestic abuse. They were both physically assaulted by the mother's ex-partner and say the offender got off with another light sentence.
A Montreal-area family confirmed to CTV News that the body of their loved one who died while on vacation in Cuba is being repatriated to Canada after it was mistakenly sent to Russia.
The trial of a West Island baseball coach accused of sexually abusing a minor will proceed after the case was almost thrown out due to unreasonable delays.
The Government of Alberta wants to change how municipalities handle elections and local politics.
A confirmed case of measles in Edmonton has prompted another plea from health officials for people to make sure vaccinations are up to date.
One person was rescued from a burning building in Edmonton on Thursday.
The New Brunswick RCMP say a wellbeing check that led to the rescue of three women from alleged human trafficking in Moncton earlier this month was the result of someone following their gut.
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers arrested two Nova Scotia residents at the New Brunswick border after they seized multiple prohibited firearms.
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
Former Manitoba premier Heather Stefanson is resigning her legislature seat and leaving political life.
Manitoba RCMP have arrested a suspect in relation to a 2021 double homicide in a remote northern community.
The Weber family is being forced to travel to Toronto due to a lack of pediatric gastroenterologists (GIs) in the province. The family’s situation was highlighted by Saskatchewan’s official opposition.
The draft will take place on Tuesday, April 30, the Saskatchewan Roughriders currently hold the third overall pick.
Work to twin Highways 6 and 39 from Regina to near Milestone will continue this year, with the province expecting construction to resume as early as May.
A family of farmers say their operations would be significantly impacted if the Region of Waterloo goes ahead with a land assembly project in the Wilmot Township area.
The trial for former neurologist Jeffrey (Scott) Sloka began two and a half years ago, and it remains unclear when there may be a verdict.
Drivers who were hit with hefty repair bills after fueling up at a Guelph gas station appear to be finally getting their money back.
A Crown prosecutor says the former RCMP officer who shot and killed his lover should be sentenced to life in prison.
A private Christian school at the centre of a civil lawsuit and several criminal cases might soon be taken over by an affiliated group, according to a letter obtained by CTV News.
Saskatoon city council is making road safety improvements following the death of a cyclist at a busy intersection last year.
A years-long fraud investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police’s anti-rackets branch has resulted in fraud and other charges for the former head of BioNorth Technology Group, Frank Benincasa
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
A month after an accidental fire forced more than 100 people out of their apartments at the Empire Complex in Timmins, residents are now dealing with being victims of theft.
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.
Madison Maness had the chance to do something not many people get to do.
A crowd of former Wescast employees and supporters rallied outside Wescast Industries in Wingham, Ont. on Thursday, requesting the severance pay they're owed.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford visited Alliston on Thursday to unveil a $15 billion investment in an electric vehicle and battery facility.
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
A popular summer festival on the Barrie waterfront is returning for its 52nd year, with one of the most impressive lineup yet.
Canada’s Building Trades Unions is demanding the federal government intervene as it alleges local workers are being “sidelined” by foreign employees.
A coalition of 60 pedestrian and cycling safety advocacy groups is calling for government regulation and auto industry changes after data showed the dangers caused by large trucks and SUVs towards pedestrians.
Windsor police are asking for the public's help identifying a suspect after a car theft on Tecumseh Road.
A hiker was airlifted to hospital in critical condition Tuesday after he fell approximately 60 metres into a canyon on Vancouver Island.
A Vancouver woman has filed a civil lawsuit against Paramount Pictures Corp. and punk rocker Stephen Jones of The Sex Pistols alleging he sexually assaulted her as a teenager while she was a movie extra more than 40 years ago.
Harbour Air is travelling towards a more sustainable future, looking to electrify its fleet of 45 aircraft.
An emaciated dachshund is now recovering thanks to a Good Samaritan who found the pup near a biking trail in Kelowna, according to the BC SPCA.
Search and rescue crews have been called in after a vehicle belonging to a missing senior was located near a rural intersection outside of Kelowna Tuesday.
Major crime detectives in British Columbia are investigating a suspected homicide after a body was found in a remote area southeast Kelowna over the weekend.
The Okotoks Oilers bounced back against the Bandits Wednesday night, defeating Brooks 4-1.
It’s not even May 1 and the fire risk for southern Alberta is already alarming.
Whoop-Up Days is still four months away, but applications to be in this year’s parade are now open.
Some members of the Garden River First Nation are demanding answers regarding the disbursement of the Robinson-Huron Treaty settlement funds.
The Ontario Provincial Police, in partnership with the Treaty Three Police Service, have charged a suspect with murder following a homicide in a remote northwestern Ontario community.
A 15-year-old in Sault Ste. Marie has been charged following an incident on Bay Street on Tuesday.
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.
Uber Technologies Inc. says it has brought its ridesharing platform to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Newfoundlander Christian Sparkes has shot several films around his home province, but with his new psychological thriller 'The King Tide' he saw an opportunity to wander into one unique town that had eluded him over the years.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
