Fluoride exposure and children's IQ scores: systematic review and meta-analysis

Meta-analysisPeer-reviewed research publisher

Source type: Meta-analysis
Access type: Publisher
Publisher: JAMA Pediatrics
Date: 2025
Added: 2026-07-01

Trust profile

VV Source Trust Matrix v1.0

VV Source Trust Matrix v1.0 asks whether this source is trustworthy for the claim lane being used, not whether every possible claim from it is equally strong.

Peer-reviewed research publisher

Publisher type: Peer-reviewed journal
Bias profile: Moderate

This source is strongest for clinical outcomes and mechanism and weaker for regulatory status and trial discovery.

VV Source Fit Score 1.0

Fit by use case

Fit scores are role-specific. A source can be excellent for one claim lane and weak for another.

Frameworks ->

Regulatory status: 65/100; Context Source
Clinical outcomes: 92/100; Primary Anchor
Mechanism: 90/100; Primary Anchor
Safety: 86/100; Strong Support
Consumer context: 72/100; Context Source
Trial discovery: 65/100; Context Source

Best used for

Primary studies
Systematic reviews
Mechanistic research

Weak for

Regulatory status
Universal consumer recommendations

Used in Viral Vitalism

Supporting evidencesignal4 references

Fluoride: Cavity Shield or IQ Risk?

Roles: Supporting evidence

Show section-level references

Supporting evidencestudy1 reference

Roles: Supporting evidence

Show section-level references

Fluoride exposure and children's IQ sc

Claim ledger

Claims supported

Reviewed claim cards that cite this source in the evidence graph.

partly supported80/100

fluoride: Higher fluoride exposure, especially drinking water above about 1.5

Higher fluoride exposure, especially drinking water above about 1.5 mg/L, is associated with lower IQ in children in major reviews, but this should not be flattened into an identical claim about every lower-dose fluoridation system.

Observational signal2 sources