The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has established a recommendation for the concentration of fluoride in drinking water to promote dental health and balance the prevention of tooth decay with the risk of dental fluorosis.
Let's review the given choices to determine the current recommended concentration:
a. 0.3 mg/L - This concentration is lower than the recommended amount. It may not provide sufficient fluoride to effectively prevent tooth decay.
b. 0.7 mg/L - This concentration aligns with the latest guidelines provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is considered the ideal concentration to maximize dental health benefits while minimizing the risk of dental fluorosis.
c. 1.0 mg/L - Although fluoride levels around this concentration were commonly recommended in the past, recent guidelines have lowered the recommendation to 0.7 mg/L to balance benefits and risks more effectively.
d. 2.0 mg/L - This concentration is higher than the recommended level and could increase the risk of dental fluorosis without additional benefits in preventing tooth decay beyond the 0.7 mg/L recommendation.
Based on the current guidelines, the correct answer is:
b. 0.7 mg/L
