New studies ignite debate: Fluoride linked to autism & ADHD, prompting calls for policy reassessment

Recent studies have intensified calls to reconsider the safety of fluoride in drinking water, with alarming findings connecting the mineral to significant increases in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD among children. A landmark study of over 73,000 Florida children found a stunning 526% rise in ASD diagnoses among those fully exposed to fluoridated water. Concurrently, researchers have linked fluoride to ADHD, lower IQ scores and delayed development, sparking heated debate among scientists, policymakers and public health advocates. Long championed as a dental health innovation, fluoride’s inclusion in water supplies is now questioned, as campaigners like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal critic of fluoridation, demand regulatory scrutiny.

The most striking findings come from a study led by Dr. Mark Geier and his son David Geier at the Institute of Chronic Illnesses, published in BMC Pediatrics. Analyzing health records of 73,254 Florida children from 1990 to 2012, researchers found a sixfold increase in ASD diagnoses among those in counties with nearly universal fluoridation. Only five cases of autism were identified among children with no fluoride exposure, while 320 were diagnosed in fully exposed communities.

The study also noted a 102% rise in intellectual disabilities and 24% increase in developmental delays among fluoridated-county children.