Publicly consulting on our draft assessment of the potential risks from ingestion of fluoride from food and drinking water
European Union
Jan 06, 2025
The European Food Safety Authority has published a public consultation on our draft assessment of the potential risks of fluoride intake from drinking water, diet, fluoridated table salt and fluoridated (ingested) dental care products. The assessment excludes topical (surface) use of fluoride oral care products.
The draft proposes a safe level of intake of 3.3 mg/day for pregnant women which applies to all age groups from 9 years of age and above. This figure is derived from potential effects on the developing central nervous system of the fetus.
The experts provisionally concluded that these effects start to occur at or above drinking water levels of 1.5 milligrams per litre (mg/L), the legal limit in the European Union. At lower levels of fluoride the evidence for potential links is inconsistent and insufficient to draw clear conclusions. The concentrations found in drinking water in European countries are usually less than 0.3 mg/L.
The opinion also proposes tolerable upper intake levels for infants and young children: 1 milligram per day (mg/day) for infants 0-12 months of age, 1.6 mg/day for children 1-3 years of age, and 2 mg/day for children 4-8 years of age. These upper levels are linked to the risk of dental fluorosis (tooth discoloration) and are protective of all other potential adverse effects for these age groups.
For further information (in English), click on the Link