Fluoride In Drinking Water

Most water providers in the United States add fluoride to water. In fact, many people think that fluoride in drinking water is beneficial and helps in fighting tooth decay. As a result, they don’t bother removing it from their drinking water. If you have a similar perception, better think again.

Research has shown that fluoride in drinking water may cause Alzheimer’s Disease due to the toxic interaction of aluminum and fluoride. Fluoride is even considered as a corrosive poison causing adverse effects over long-term exposure such as skeletal fluorosis, receding thyroid gland, obesity, mental retardation, low IQ, hyperactivity, gastrointestinal problems, kidney damage, infertility, birth defects, learning difficulties in children and cancers. Fluoride in drinking water, it seems, is a silent health threat for you and your family.

How to Remove Fluoride in Drinking Water

Fluoride cannot be simply removed by boiling the water. On the contrary, its concentration will increase with boiling. There are a number of ways to remove fluoride in drinking water, some of these are:  

  • Fluoride Distillation Filtration
    Distillation filtering system is an effective way of removing fluoride in drinking water. The process involves heating the water to eliminate fluoride. A fluoride distillation system costs anywhere between $200 and $1,600. It is a bit expensive than other fluoride removing systems but it is proven to be very effective.
  • Activated Alumina
    This filtering system is used where there is a higher incidence of fluorosis. Activated alumina uses magnetic charge to attract and remove fluoride from tap water. A naturally-occurring inorganic compound, aluminum oxide or activated alumina, is a non-toxic and chemically passive compound that works well in removing fluoride from water. Activated alumina removes up to 90% of fluoride in drinking water and costs around $30/filter. 
  • Reverse Osmosis Filtration
    This method is used in purifying some bottled waters and is very effective in removing the fluoride present in tap water. It is also capable of eliminating other harmful substances in water such as lead, iron, manganese and salt. Reverse osmosis works by removing molecules smaller than the water molecules. Though it can be very effective in removing fluoride, but other beneficial materials can be eradicated as well. The cost of RO systems range from $300 to $3,000 or even higher.

These methods of removing fluoride in water are quite expensive, but affordable options are available too. You can fill your jugs with water in the nearest filling station. Most of these filling stations combine different water filtering methods like activated alumina, reverse osmosis and distillation. You may arrange for these filling stations to deliver gallons of water straight to your home.

Limit your Exposure to Fluoride

Aside from removing fluoride in drinking water, several ways can be done to limit your fluoride exposure such as avoiding fluoride supplements, canned food items, as well as red or black tea. It will also help if you make it a habit to read the labels of bottled beverages for fluoride content. Also, consider using toothpaste that does not contain fluoride and avoid long-term use of medicines that have it.

Don’t ignore fluoride in drinking water as prolonged exposure can lead to severe health problems.

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