Have Your Say on EFSA's Draft Fluoride Risk Assessment

Dec 11, 2024 at 11:00 AM
The public consultation regarding the fluoride draft protocol is currently open and will remain so until 9 February. This comes after a previous public consultation in 2022. The draft proposes a safe level of intake for pregnant women, which is set at 3.3 mg/day and applies to all age groups aged 9 years and above. This figure is based on potential effects on the developing central nervous system of the fetus.

Expert Conclusions and Fluoride Levels

Our experts have tentatively determined that certain effects start to occur at or above drinking water levels of 1.5 mg/L, which is the legal limit in the European Union. At lower fluoride levels, the evidence for potential links is inconsistent and insufficient to draw clear conclusions. In European countries, the concentrations found in drinking water are usually less than 0.3 mg/L. Additionally, the opinion proposes tolerable upper intake levels for infants and young children. For infants 0-12 months of age, it is 1 mg/day, for children 1-3 years, it is 1.6 mg/day, and for children 4-8 years, it is 2 mg/day. These upper levels are related to the risk of dental fluorosis and protect against other potential adverse effects for these age groups.