Is tap water good or bad for your health? Researchers at the University of North Carolina in the United States wanted to know whether consumption tap water was linked to the level of lead in the blood, and the number of cavities in young people. The results of their study appeared in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Scientists analyzed part of the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) from 2005 to 2014. They analyzed the data on blood lead and dental caries in 16,000 children and adolescents aged 2 to 19. A high level of lead in the blood corresponded to at least 3 micrograms of lead per deciliter.
A deliberate addition of fluoride to the water
About 15% of the children said they did not drink tap water, 3% had high levels of lead in their blood, and half had tooth decay. From their analysis, it emerged that children and adolescents who did not drink tap water were more likely to have tooth decay, but lower blood lead levels.
This is explained by the fact that many Anglo-Saxon countries, in particular the United States, still practice voluntary fluoridation of tap water. This has not been the case in France since the 1980s, but our water generally contains fluoride salts. Star of our toothpastes, it protects teeth from cavities by acting as a barrier on our enamel. But too much fluoride consumption can lead to fluorosis which is characterized by the appearance of white spots on the teeth and which particularly affects children. This is why French regulations allow a maximum volume of 1.5 mg of fluoride per liter of water.
Regarding lead in tap water, its level is highly regulated in France. It was lowered to 10 µg / L on December 25, 2013 and for 15 years lead pipes and branches have been gradually replaced by other materials.
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