Where can I find information on fluoride in drinking water?

Below is a quote from the EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water Web site "Archived Drinking Water Contaminants", http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/historical/

Many communities add fluoride to their drinking water to promote dental health. Each community makes its own decision about whether or not to add fluoride. EPA has set an enforceable drinking water standard for fluoride of 4 mg/L (some people who drink water containing fluoride in excess of this level over many years could get bone disease, including pain and tenderness of the bones). EPA has also set a secondary fluoride standard of 2 mg/L to protect against dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis, in its moderate or severe forms, may result in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth. This problem occurs only in developing teeth, before they erupt from the gums. Children under nine should not drink water that has more than 2 mg/L of fluoride.

Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline. They can provide information about EPA's drinking water regulations and other related drinking water and ground water topics.

They can be contacted at 1-800-426-4791

or contacted by mail:
Safe Drinking Water Hotline
4606M
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460

You may also find the Safewater question and answer database useful:
http://safewater.supportportal.com

By searching the term "fluoride" you will find many answers to assist you, such as these Q & A's

• Is my water system supplying fluoridated drinking water?
• Are drinking water additives, such as chemicals used for fluoridation and coagulation, regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act?
• I've seen many different types of bottled water in stores. What are the main types of bottled water?
• What can cause mottling or discoloration of teeth?

You may also be interested in the EPA publication Fact Sheet: Fluoride in Drinking Water (EPA Number: 822F93010). It can be located online in the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) publications catalog, http://www.epa.gov/nscep/

Here is additional information from other government offices:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Review of Fluoride: Benefits and Risks, http://www.health.gov/environment/ReviewofFluoride/default.htm

National Cancer Institute
Fluoridated Water: Questions and Answers, http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/fluoridated-water

Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Oral Health Resources: Water Fluoridation, http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/