Removing Fluoride from Drinking Water
Fluoride is added to piped public water supplies as a public health measure. Many scientists agree that adding fluoride to drinking water prevents and controls dental decay. Dentists universally regard fluoride as beneficial for oral health because it helps prevent tooth cavities. However, scientists disagree on whether ingesting fluoride directly has a negative impact on our health, many believe we should remove fluoride from drinking water. This controversy has led many people to prefer to filter out traces of fluoride in their drinking water, believing that there may be health risks associated with ingesting even low fluoride levels.
We will tell you why fluoride may be harmful to you and how to remove it from your drinking water.
Why is fluoride in our water?
About 90 years ago, Dentist Frederick McKay discovered that the water supply in Colorado Springs had fluoride, and as a result, residents in the area experienced minimal or no tooth decay. McKay then theorized that people who drank water with high fluorine content were less likely to develop cavities. This theory is the reason why fluorine is a prevalent ingredient in mouthwash and toothpaste. It is this discovery that brought about the fluoridation of the water supply in the mid-1940s, which continues to this day. In 1962 the United States Public Health Service stated that to prevent tooth decay they recommended fluoridating public water supplies.
Dr. Frederick Mckay
Is it Good to Remove Fluoride From Water?
In its natural form, fluoride has no adverse effect on your health. The most common use of fluoride is to strengthen the enamel, which is the outer layer of the tooth. That being said, adding artificial fluoride to water may lead to the development of harmful by-products such as sodium fluoride, fluorosilicic acid, and sodium silicofluoride. These three substances are hazardous to your overall health and lead to most side effects of excessive consumption of fluoride. The level of fluoride added to drinking water ranges between 0.6-0.8 parts per million (ppm)
Many organizations are against fluoride.
Here is Why:
- Scientists have verified that even low levels of fluoride have toxic properties.
- There is no established way of regulating the dose of fluoride once it’s added to the water supply. Everyone will consume it regardless of age, health, weight, or need.
- Most children already exceed their daily recommended intake of fluoride from toothpaste alone.
- Accumulation of fluoride in the body may cause brittle bones that are prone to fracture. Fluorine harms the parathyroid glands, triggering the body to expel parathyroid hormones continuously. This will result in low calcium levels in the bones and abnormally high calcium concentration in the blood, which will lead to fracturing or breaking of bones.
- Artificial fluoride may be harmful to the environment. We drink less than 1% of our water, and the rest is flushed down the drain entering the environment.
- Several studies suggest that adding artificial fluoride to our water supply increases the risk of developing either underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism.
- High fluoride intake may lead to several health issues such as osteosarcoma, skeletal fluorosis, dental fluorosis, and neurological problems.
- There are several additional concerns. Excessive fluoride exposure has been linked to reproductive problems, cardiovascular issues, and skin problems.
All these problems have led to people shunning drinking water containing fluoride and movements against water fluoridation.
How to remove fluoride in water
Besides fluorides, reverse osmosis systems remove many other contaminants, including sulfates, pesticides, nitrates, arsenic, and pharmaceuticals, among others.
The system involves a multistage filtration process where water first passes through the pre-filters, which removes chlorine, large particles, and sediments. Then, the water moves to the semipermeable membrane, where most impurities, even as small as .001 microns, are removed. Lastly, the water passes through the carbon post-filter to improve the taste.
Reverse osmosis systems are designed to remove chemical impurities rather than viruses and bacteria. The bacteria that enter the RO system will grow over time, destroying the membrane and the pre-filters. Manufacturers of these systems always specify that they are used with biologically safe water.
If you have either viruses or bacteria in your water, you should use a UV water filter.
Reverse Osmosis System
Are our Reverse Osmosis systems expensive?
Reverse osmosis systems have risen in popularity because they are easy to maintain, cost-effective, and safe water filtration systems. A family that has between four and six members can have great tasting and freshly filtered water each day while spending only pennies per gallon. The cost of an Reverse Osmsis system is between 900 to 1500 dollars installed depending on your water..
A residential RO system is small enough to be installed under the kitchen sink. You can also connect the system to your ice machine or refrigerator.
If you use a whole-house reverse osmosis system, then you might need space. Most people store it in the garage. You will enjoy filtered water coming out of all sinks in the house. However, this system is not advisable for homeowners because it is cost-prohibitive. You will spend a lot on pre-filtration requirements before using the system and ongoing maintenance costs.
If you want to remove fluoride from your drinking water, it is recommended that you purchase a small reverse osmosis water filter system. You will install it under the kitchen sink for drinking water. It is also advisable to install a UV light water purifier to the reverse osmosis that will remove microbiological contaminants if your water needs it.
