Funny Peer ReviewMaking Sense of Fluoride includes several members who are researching the fluoridation issue. A submission from the group has now been accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Neurotoxicology and Teratology. Because of this Making Sense of Fluoride is noticed as a scientific affiliation by the journal.

The citation is:
Perrott, K. W. (2015). Severe dental fluorosis and cognitive deficits. Neurotoxicology and Teratology.

It is a peer-reviewed Letter to the Editor discussing recent work by Choi et al (2015) who reported a statistically significant association of cognitive deficits of children with severe dental fluorosis in an area of endemic fluorosis in China. Those researchers are planning further work but have limited their explanatory hypothesis to chemical toxicity of fluoride.

Dr Perrott argues they should not limit their investigation in this way. Severe dental fluorosis is associated with poor quality of life and could reasonably be expected to produce cognitive deficits, or IQ reductions, of the level measured.

He concludes:

“cognitive deficits could have many causes or influences – genetic, environmental and/or social. Researchers need to be careful not to limit their possible hypotheses or research approaches. Unfortunately Choi et al. (2015) appear to be doing just this with their plans for a larger scale study targeted only at ‘fluoride’s developmental neurotoxicity.’”

The full article here.

Neurotoxicology and Teratology articles are behind a paywall but those with institutional access can download this article here.