Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2025
08:12
Micro-dissection of Enamel Organ from Mandibular Incisor of Rats Exposed to Environmental Toxicants
Published on: March 29, 2018
10.1K
Early Childhood Exposures to Fluorides and Cognitive Neurodevelopment: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study.
L G Do1, A Sawyer2, A John Spencer3
1School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia.
Journal of Dental Research
|December 18, 2024
Summary
Early childhood fluoride exposure, crucial for preventing cavities, shows no adverse effects on cognitive neurodevelopment. This study confirms fluoride
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Dentistry
Background:
- Public confidence in fluoride's caries-preventive benefits is essential.
- Concerns exist regarding early-life fluoride exposure and cognitive neurodevelopment.
- High-quality evidence is needed to address the ongoing debate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential effects of early-life fluoride exposure on cognitive neurodevelopment.
- To assess intelligence quotient (IQ) using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 4th edition (WAIS-IV).
- To examine associations between lifetime exposure to fluoridated water and dental fluorosis with IQ scores.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Australian National Child Oral Health Study (NCOHS).
- Estimated percentage lifetime exposure to fluoridated water (%LEFW) and assessed dental fluorosis.
- Administered the WAIS-IV to 357 participants aged 16-26 years in 2022-2023.
- Employed multivariable regression models controlling for confounding factors.
Main Results:
- Mean full-scale IQ (FSIQ) score was 109.2 (95% CI: 107.8-110.5).
- Regression models showed no significant adverse associations between %LEFW or dental fluorosis and FSIQ.
- Adjusted β for 100%LEFW vs 0%LEFW was 1.07 (95% CI: -2.86, 5.01).
- Adjusted β for dental fluorosis vs no fluorosis was 0.28 (95% CI: -3.00, 3.57).
- Noninferiority tests indicated equivalent FSIQ scores between exposed and nonexposed groups.
Conclusions:
- Early childhood exposure to fluoride does not negatively impact cognitive neurodevelopment.
- Findings support the continued use of fluoride in caries-preventive programs.
- This study provides robust evidence for the safety of fluoride exposure regarding cognitive function.
Keywords:
child developmentfluoride useintelligence quotientpopulation programsrisk assessmentwater fluoridationMore Related Videos
05:35Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
Published on: April 19, 2017
6.6K
19:57The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Published on: August 5, 2017
8.3K
Related Concept Videos
01:27Language and Cognition
322
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
322
01:29Environmental Influences on Intelligence
200
Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children...
200
01:30Information Processing Approach
30
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...
30
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
50
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
50
01:17Cognitivism
1.4K
Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process...
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process...
1.4K
01:21The Nativist Approach
33
The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to...
33