Fluoride News and Research

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Fluoride is a form of the element fluorine that helps prevent tooth decay. Fluoride may be naturally present in drinking water or may be added to it. Fluoride may also be put directly on the teeth, as a gel, toothpaste, or a rinse.

Prenatal exposure to higher water fluoride levels associated with lower child cognition

Pregnant mothers who lived in neighborhoods where public drinking water fluoride levels were near or above the current U.S. recommended levels tended to have children who scored lower on tests of fluid reasoning as fluoride levels increased, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health's Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program.

18 Aug 2026

Large US trial supports silver diamine fluoride for severe early childhood caries

A phase 3 randomized trial of 830 young children with severe early childhood caries found that 38% silver diamine fluoride arrested 54.0% of eligible cavitated dentin lesions at six months, compared with 22.5% after placebo. The noninvasive treatment showed clinically meaningful efficacy, but about half of the lesions remained active, supporting close monitoring and additional preventive care.

3 Aug 2026

Tea, tap water and child IQ: What a Canadian pregnancy study found

Researchers analyzed 485 mother-child pairs in Canada to examine whether estimated fluoride intake from tea during pregnancy was associated with IQ at ages 3 to 4. Each 0.5 mg/day increase was associated with a 2.24-point lower full-scale IQ score, although the observational design and estimated exposure prevent causal conclusions.

31 Jul 2026

Fluoride myths and DIY dentistry dominate oral health misinformation

A scoping review on online oral health misinformation reveals gaps in evidence and highlights the impact of misleading content on patient behavior in dentistry.

27 Jul 2026

Global groundwater maps reveal hidden manganese risk for 220 million people

Machine learning maps suggest that about 180 to 220 million people may rely on untreated groundwater with manganese above the WHO’s updated 80 µg/L guideline. The study places manganese exposure on a similar global scale to arsenic and fluoride, yet shows it remains far less visible in groundwater monitoring.

8 Jul 2026

Novel biomimetic peptide actively rebuilds damaged tooth dentin

Dentin hypersensitivity affects millions of people worldwide, yet existing treatments often provide only temporary relief.

1 Jul 2026

New poll reveals political divide over public water fluoridation

As the debate over the value of adding fluoride to public drinking water percolates in communities across the nation, a new nationally representative survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania finds Americans sharply divided over the use of fluoride in public drinking water.

12 Jun 2026

New bioelectronic interface enables long-term vagus nerve stimulation for inflammation

Electrical stimulation of vagus nerve via implantable stimulators can effectively suppress inflammatory responses, offering a novel strategy for treating autoimmune diseases.

29 Apr 2026

More kids are in ERs for tooth pain. Trump cuts and RFK Jr.’s anti-fluoride fight aren’t helping.

Eight-year-old Jonah woke up one May morning with a swollen face and a toothache. He refused the pain medication that his mom, Geneva Reynolds, tried to give him. He didn't sleep or eat and cried constantly.

10 Mar 2026

Is fluoridated water safe during pregnancy? Studies say yes

Research analyzing 11.5 million births finds no association between community water fluoridation and reduced birth weight, ensuring prenatal safety.

23 Jan 2026

Community water fluoridation not associated with changes in birth weight

A new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health finds that community water fluoridation (CWF) is not associated with significant changes in birth weight-a widely accepted indicator of infant health and a predictor of later-life outcomes.

20 Jan 2026

GOP promotes MAHA agenda in bid to avert midterm losses. Dems point to contradictions.

When a "Make America Healthy Again" summit was held at the posh Waldorf Astoria in Washington, the line of attendees stretched down the block.

20 Jan 2026

Sugarcane protein mouthwash helps protect oral health during head and neck cancer treatment

An artificial saliva in the form of a mouthwash, produced with the CANECPI-5 protein extracted from sugarcane and modified in a laboratory, can aid in treating teeth in patients with head and neck cancer. In these cases, radiotherapy very close to the mouth can destroy salivary glands and compromise saliva production, which is essential for controlling bacteria and disease.

7 Jan 2026

Fluoride levels in U.S. drinking water linked to better teen cognition

Fluoride exposure in childhood supports academic achievement but lacks measurable cognitive benefits in later adulthood, according to a landmark U.S. study.

25 Nov 2025

Evidence links severe gum disease to erectile dysfunction and broader men’s health risks

A healthy mouth is also key to a healthy body, as gum disease has been linked to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's.

20 Nov 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Nutrition programs face their own shutdown

Health programs are feeling the pinch of the ongoing government shutdown. Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the food program for women, infants, and children, WIC, is likely to run out in November, and cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are keeping the agency from carrying out some of its primary public health functions.

23 Oct 2025

CHOP researchers unveil framework for boosting children's oral health

Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) demonstrated how a multifaceted intervention approach significantly improved the rate of dental varnish applications to help strengthen tooth enamel and prevent decay.

19 Sep 2025

Uneven tooth color matters more than whiteness for young adults

White teeth are highly valued by young adults. But an even tooth color is considered to be of even higher importance.

17 Sep 2025

Arginine dentifrices reduce dental caries in children with active caries

The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) and the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) have announced the publication of a new study in JDR Clinical & Translational Research that demonstrates that arginine dentifrices reduce dental caries in children with active caries as much as, or more than, a sodium fluoride dentifrice, depending on the arginine concentration.

13 Aug 2025

Maple compound offers natural protection against cavities

A new study in the journal Microbiology Spectrum highlights the potential of using a natural compound from maple to combat the bacteria responsible for tooth decay: Streptococcus mutans.

7 Aug 2025