It’s not just gas prices: Some U.S. water utilities are reporting that the Middle East war is hampering their ability to maintain recommended fluoride levels in drinking water.
Over the past few weeks, some water utilities have said their supplies have been disrupted, according to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies. Fluoride is used in water systems as a public health measure to prevent tooth decay.
Here’s what to know.
What causes fluoride deficiency?
Israel is one of the world’s top exporters of fluorosilicic acid, according to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA data also shows that the US is among the world’s top five importers of the product.
At least one Israeli supplier is facing workforce challenges because many employees have been called into active military service, said Dan Hartnett, chief policy officer for the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.
“This has led to a reduction in production and supply to the US market,” he said.
Not every water system is affected
The number of water utilities affected so far is small, but the shortages are affecting hundreds of thousands of people. As the conflict continues, “additional pressure is likely to be placed on the supply chain, leading to shortages in additional communities,” Hartnett said.
WSSC Water in Maryland, the nation’s eighth-largest water and wastewater utility, is among those facing shortages. On April 7, utility officials said they were reducing fluoride levels in water from the recommended 0.7 milligrams per liter to 0.4 milligrams per liter.
Chuck Brown, a spokesman for the utility that serves 1.9 million customers, said officials don’t know how long the outage will last, “but we’re confident we’ll be able to extend it for a few more months.”
In Pennsylvania, the town of Lititz told its water customers it had to pause fluoridation for a few weeks last month due to supply issues.
What the dentist says you should do
Water utilities add fluoride voluntarily to improve the oral health of communities, so lower levels have no impact on drinking water safety.
Scott Tomer, DMD, DrPH, community water fluoridation expert for the American Dental Association, said a few-month drop in fluoride levels is probably not a cause for concern for most people.
Research from places that stopped fluoridating their water – Calgary, Canada; Juneau, Alaska; and Israel – have found that lower levels can have effects over a period of years.
“Based on the best information we have, below about 0.5 milligrams per liter, you probably won’t see effective preventive risk,” he said.
Young children will be the first to experience tooth decay, Tomar said, because fluoride strengthens the enamel while their teeth are developing and as they get older.
They recommend that people in deficient areas brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and keep up with their regular dental checkups. If people are concerned that they are not getting enough fluoride, they should talk to their dentist before taking fluoride supplements or other treatments.
What else should I know about fluoride in water?
Research shows that water fluoridation is beneficial even when it is available through toothpaste and other means. About two-thirds of the US population gets fluoridated drinking waterAccording to CDC data.
Adding low levels of fluoride to drinking water was long considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century. The American Dental Association credits it with reducing tooth decay in children and adults by more than 25%.
However, misinformation about the safety of fluoride has spread. Last year, Utah became the first state to ban public water fluoridation. And Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has repeatedly raised doubts about its safety and restricted the use of fluoride for dental health.
“The levels we use in the United States are completely safe,” Tomar said. “Despite a lot of misinformation, there are no known adverse health effects at the levels used in our drinking water.”
