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Community-wide fluoridation of drinking water is a longstanding strategy to reduce dental caries. Studies suggest that fluoride exposure during brain development might negatively affect neurocognitive outcomes in children.
Researchers evaluated data from 512 mother-child pairs recruited for a birth cohort study between 2008 and 2011 in six Canadian cities. They measured fluoride exposure during pregnancy (via both maternal urinary fluoride [MUF] concentration and self-reported beverage intake) and children's IQ scores at age 3 to 4 years. Analyses included multiple covariates, such as maternal education, household income, parity, and exposure to other chemicals, as well as child gestational age, birth weight, and sex.
In adjusted analyses, an…