The reason pregnant women should not drink fluoridated water.

The new “mother-offspring” studies of 2017 and 2018 have clearly demonstrated, for the first time, that pregnancy is the most critical period for exposure to fluoride. The fetus now ranks as the most vulnerable of our species to fluoride’s toxicity.

What is Fluoridated Water?

Approximately 70% of communities across America add fluoride to their public drinking water as non-consensual dental treatment. This water is called fluoridated water and is the major source of fluoride exposure for most people.

How do I know if my water is fluoridated?

The most reliable way to know is to call your water department directly; if you cannot find their number call your city clerk or city councilor’s office and ask to be connected to the water department. Ask if the water is fluoridated. If the water is not fluoridated, ask them what the natural level of fluoride is in the water. You can also search the internet for your town’s “drinking water consumer confidence report,” which should list the average fluoride content for the year reported.

What if I am at the end of my pregnancy and have drunk fluoridated water up to now?

It’s better late than never to stop drinking fluoridated tap water. Your child may not have been affected. Follow the good advice given to everyone: eat a good diet rich in vegetables and fruits. If at all possible, buy organic and avoid processed food.  You remain the last defense for your child against overexposure to fluoride.  Learn about the health implications of infant exposure to fluoride.

If I drank fluoridated water in my pregnancy, should I breast-feed?

Yes, breast feeding is best if one can do it. Mother Nature has intervened in this issue to protect the infant as the level of fluoride in mothers’ milk is estimated at 0.004 parts per million (ppm), which is extremely low. Even if the mother drinks water with high levels of fluoride, the level in her milk will remain very low. Sadly, public health officials never considered why Mother Nature protected the infant. Instead, they pushed communities from Maine to California to fluoridate drinking water with no regard for the pregnant woman or the formula-fed infant.

I have to bottle-feed my infant. Is fluoridated water okay to use?

An infant fed formula made with fluoridated water will receive up to 175 times more fluoride than the breast fed child if communities follow the current recommendation to add 0.7 ppm fluoride. It is very important for the infant formula to be made with fluoride-free (or low-fluoride) water. It is also very important for the caregiver to add the correct amount of formula.

Infants are the second most vulnerable group to fluoride.

Up until the mother-offspring studies were released in 2017-2018, it was the infant out of all age groups that was considered to be the most vulnerable to fluoride’s toxicity. Due to their small size, infants receive up to 400% more fluoride (per pound of body weight) than adults consuming the same level of fluoride in water.  Learn more about infant exposure to fluoride.

The fetus is the most vulnerable to fluoride.

The mother-offspring fluoride studies of 2017 and 2018 have clearly demonstrated that the fetus is the most vulnerable to fluoride’s toxicity.

What do we know about fluoride.

It is toxic to many of the enzymes in our body. In 2014 Grandjean & Landrigan classified fluoride as a developmental neurotoxin and in 2006 it was classified as an endocrine disruptor (NRC-2006, 2nd para). The definitions:

Developmental Neurotoxicant – According to Mundy et al. (2015), “The definition of developmental neurotoxicity encompassed changes in behavior, brain morphology, and neurochemistry after gestational or lactational exposure.” Grandjean & Landrigan in 2006 and 2014 identified a total of 11 chemicals as developmental neurotoxicants and one of them was fluoride.

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can interfere with endocrine (or hormone) systems at certain doses… Any system in the body controlled by hormones can be derailed by hormone disruptors. Specifically, endocrine disruptors may be associated with the development of learning disabilities, severe attention deficit disorder, cognitive and brain development problems… and more. –from Wikipedia (see also the NRC 2006 report -page 266).

Brain – see all the fluoride-brain studies

Bone: Fluoride accumulates over a lifetime in the body and mainly in the bone (page 5 and 7) and also in the pineal gland. It has a very long half-life in the human bone, estimated at 20 years (NRC 2006). In areas with high naturally occurring fluoride in the drinking water it will severely damage the bone (millions have been crippled, particularly in India and China).

See also Bone Fracture | Brain  | Cancer  | Cardiovascular disease | Dental Fluorosis | Kidney | Male Fertility | Pineal Gland | Thyroid |”10 Facts on Fluoride“

What are the 11 chemicals identified by Grandjean & Landrigan as known Developmental Neurotoxicants?

Arsenic, Chlorpyrifos (pesticide), Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), Fluoride, Lead, Manganese, Methylmercury, Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants), Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Tetrachloroethylene (dry-cleaning fluid), and Toluene.

Why a Warning to Pregnant Moms?

To protect the brains and IQ of their offspring.

What is this Warning Based On

The mother-offspring studies released in 2017 and 2918. The Bashash et al. team reported in September 2017 the results of a major 12-year study that the pregnant women’s exposure to certain levels of fluoride resulted in decreased IQs in their children. The fluoride levels were determined by testing the urine of the pregnant women. These levels were approximately the same levels for adults living in communities with fluoridated water. There are two other mother-offspring studies that complement the Bashash et al. study: Thomas et al (2018) and Valdez Jiménez et al (2017).

Why Water?

Water is the major route of exposure to fluoride for the general population. And communities that have water fluoridation programs –often significantly increasing the fluoride content– put the offspring of pregnant women and formula-fed infants at risk.

How will my body be affected if I stop drinking fluoridated water?

Fluoride is not an essential nutrient which means your body does not need it for any biological function.

Will my teeth suffer if I stop drinking fluoridated water?

No. Approximately 97% of Europe does not fluoridate drinking water and their teeth are as good -if not better- than the teeth of Americans. While  a very small number of European countries fluoridate salt, consumers have the option to buy salt with or without fluoride.

Has any government agency ever tested the fluoridation chemicals?

No. Neither the Food  & Drug Administration (FDA) nor the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has tested any of the chemicals used to fluoridate America’s drinking water. Also, the FDA has never performed tests on any fluoride drug or fluoride supplement given to school children and pregnant women.

What water should pregnant women drink if they live in fluoridated communities?

• Buy bottled water that has been filtered by reverse osmosis or distillation.

• Or, buy spring water after confirming with the producer the levels of fluoride (their telephone numbers are on the back of the label).

• See more options here

Why hasn’t my doctor or clinic informed me not to drink the water if it is fluoridated?

• This is new science and most professionals have neither read nor followed the mother-offspring studies funded by three U.S.  government agencies: National Institutes of Health, Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Science.

• Public health officials are expected to support traditional beliefs about fluoride and most have not personally evaluated the  scientific evidence that swallowing fluoride is not helpful and actually harmful.

• When you next go to your doctor give them a link to the Bashash study which was published in Environmental Health Perspectives and is free to read by clicking here.

What can I do?

A good start is to help pass this information on to others by word-of-mouth, email, and on social media.  You can also work in your community and state to raise awareness. Strategize with friends and colleagues on the best ways to get the message out (flyers, posters, letters to editor – see our Spread The Word page). Request your city and county health departments, the local WIC program, and decision-makers to issue warnings to pregnant women; or request your city council to invoke the Precautionary Principle to place a moratorium on water fluoridation.

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