A 2012 Chinese study claiming very high levels of fluoride to cause low IQ in children has been labelled "appalling" by leading dentist Dr Michael Foley. The research looked at cases where the fluoride in the water could be ten times higher than Australian levels.
Dr Foley told Ross and John from radio station 3AW these types of studies were "simply dreadful pieces of research" that will not change local views on fluoride.
All capital cities have fluoridated water except Brisbane, with Melbourne taking it up in 1977.
"If fluoridation affected IQ, children and adults in Queensland would be far more intelligent than children and adults in Melbourne and New South Wales," Dr Foley said. "[The study] is highly unlikely to change the view of decades that fluoridation is a very effective and safe way to reduce tooth decay."