Fluoride and Intelligent Quotient

Fluoride plays a significant role in dental and skeletal health. It has been widely studied and debated. While fluoride at appropriate concentrations is beneficial, excessive fluoride intake, especially in children, can lead to severe health issues such as dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis, and non-skeletal fluorosis. Long-term overexposure to fluoride, particularly in endemic areas, has been associated with a range of adverse health effects, including neurotoxicity, which affects the development of intelligence in children. IQ is a measure of intelligence which is derived from standardized tests. Multiple studies conducted across the world have consistently demonstrated an inverse relationship between fluoride exposure and IQ levels in children. While evidence suggests an association between fluoride exposure and lower IQ, these findings are inconclusive and not generalizable. IQ is influenced by multiple factors, which have not been adequately assessed in these studies. To establish a causal relationship, we need longitudinal studies that control for the these confounding factors to better understand and mitigate fluoride’s potential impact on intelligence.