A just-published study from the University of Southern California found that pregnant women exposed to fluoride are at increased risk of their child developing behavioral problems.
The study, published Monday by the Keck School of Medicine of USC, is the first U.S. study of the link between prenatal fluoride and children’s social, emotional and behavioral functioning.
Researchers say they hope the new findings convey the risks of fluoride consumption during pregnancy.
Nearly three-quarters of Americans drink drinking water that contains fluoride, a practice that began in 1945 to help prevent tooth decay, researchers said.
The study analyzed more than 220 mother-child pairs and collected data on fluoride levels during pregnancy and the child’s behavior at age 3.
The researchers found that an increase in fluoride exposure of 0.68 milligrams per liter was associated with a nearly double the odds of a child exhibiting neurobehavioral problems in a range considered close to or at a level meeting criteria for clinical diagnosis.
“Women with higher fluoride exposure in their bodies during pregnancy tended to rate their three-year-old children higher on general neurobehavioral problems and internalizing symptoms, including emotional reactivity, anxiety and somatic complaints,” said Tracy Bastain, associate professor at the University of California . clinical population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine.
The findings add to existing evidence from animal studies showing that fluoride can harm neurodevelopment, as well as data from studies conducted in Canada, Mexico and other countries showing that prenatal fluoride exposure is linked to lower IQ in early childhood, according to the study. .
Currently, no official recommendations exist to limit fluoride consumption during pregnancy. However, the researchers hope that the findings can help stimulate change.
