Sydney
Fluoridated water is safe for children, first Australian study shows
A study from Queensland shows that it’s safe to have fluoride in your town’s drinking water and it doesn’t affect your child’s development.
A University of Queensland study found that emotional and behavioral development, memory, and self-control were the same in children who drank fluoridated water and those who did not.
“There were no differences in child development and function associated with fluoridated water,” said Loc Do, the study’s lead and professor of dental and public health.
A longitudinal study released Monday evaluated 2,682 children aged 5 to 10 years from the Australian National Child Oral Health Study and followed them after 7 to 8 years.
Some kids lived in zip codes with fluoridated water, others didn’t.
The small, well-organized community opposing water fluoridation has been encouraged by a study published from China that suggests fluoride can affect children’s development, Professor Do said. .
“As scientists and health professionals, we need to assure the public and policy makers about the safety of the programs we use to prevent disease.
He compared water fluoridation to common childhood vaccines and said overwhelming evidence showed vaccinations were safe for children.
Nevertheless, a small, noisy group still opposes the vaccine.
Tooth decay and tooth decay are the most common chronic childhood diseases worldwide.
These diseases cause pain in children and lead to infections and tooth loss, added Professor Do.
No difference in development
Participants were measured for emotional and behavioral development and executive function development.
The study found that drinking tap water containing fluoride did not interfere with children’s emotional or behavioral development, and no differences were detected between children who lived in different zip codes.
We also found no difference in the development of higher-order functions.
Many studies have evaluated the effectiveness of fluoride on dental health, but Professor Doe’s safety study is the first in Australia.
He said the findings mean it’s safe to drink fluoridated water and supports the continuation and expansion of the country’s fluoridation program.
About 90% of the country’s tap water is fluoridated, but only 71% of municipalities in Queensland are fluoridated.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/fluoridated-water-safe-for-children-australian/fb8bknnoz Fluoridated water is safe for children, first Australian study shows
