Get the latest tech news

Fluoride in Our Drinking Water May Not Be as Useful as It Used to Be

A new comprehensive review of the data suggests the "benefits of fluoridating water have declined in recent decades."

“Contemporary evidence using different research methodologies suggest that the benefits of fluoridating water have declined in recent decades,” said review author Tanya Walsh, a professor of health care evaluation at the University of Manchester, in a statement from the Cochrane Library. People in many parts of the world still have very high rates of tooth decay and limited access to fluoride toothpaste or other preventive treatments. But the researchers add that much has changed over the past 50 years, and that the risks and benefits of these programs should be evaluated more closely from now on, especially in deciding whether to start a new one in places where they may be less needed.

Get the Android app