The BackgroundFluoride strengthens tooth enamel, and research suggests that drinking water with added fluoride can reduce cavities by up to 25 percent. Most of the women lived in areas with fluoridated water. The researchers measured the fluoride levels in their urine in a single test during the third trimester. And on average, higher fluoride levels in the mothers’ urine were correlated with a greater risk of behavioral problems in the children. That said, the increases in behavioral scores were relatively small — about two points on a scale from 28 to 100 for overall behavioral problems.

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Persons: ”, Beate Ritz, Patricia Braun, Ashley Malin, Malin, Joseph Braun Organizations: National Institutes of Health, Environmental Protection Agency, JAMA, Fielding School of Public Health, University of Colorado School of Medicine, American Academy of Pediatrics, College of Public Health, Health, University of Florida, Water Watch, Center, Environmental, Brown University Locations: United States, Mexico, Canada, Spain, Denmark, Los Angeles