Is Fluoride in Water Bad?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring chemical that can be found in rocks, soil, plants, air and both fresh water and sea water. It’s also found in the water provided by municipalities and communities to homes. This is what we call tap water, to which a very small amount of fluoride is added. Some people aren’t aware of why local water supplies contain added fluoride, and that’s one of the things we want to talk about here.

Benefits of fluoride

In mammals, fluoride is beneficial in the mineralization of bones and teeth. The chemical acts as a hardening agent, which helps prevent tooth decay and the degeneration of bones. Within the human body, approximately 99 percent of all fluoride is found in the teeth and bones.

Dental professionals know the value of fluoride where teeth are concerned. It is widely accepted that fluoride helps prevent cavities, which is why your dentist uses a fluoride compound when cleaning your teeth.

What are the major sources of fluoride for humans?

As noted, fluoride can be found in many places in nature. For humans, the major sources include:

Fluoride supplements: Most dentists recommend these supplements for children over 6 months old if they are at a higher-than-normal risk of getting cavities and live in areas where the drinking water doesn’t contain added fluoride.

Drinking water: Many countries make it a practice to add fluoride to public water sources. The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia are among those countries.

Foods: Certain foods such as tea leaves can absorb fluoride from soil. Some foods are processed with fluoridated water and may absorb some of this chemical.

Groundwater: Fluoride exists in groundwater, but the concentrations vary.

Is it safe to add fluoride to water?

There’s a lot of debate on this topic. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reported on research conducted between 2000 and 2008 in which researchers studied a number of reviews to gain conclusive information about the effectiveness and safety of water fluoridation. (“Fluoridation” is the process of adding fluoride to drinking water.)

The NCBI report on the results of this research states, in part, “The results of the three reviews showed that water fluoridation is effective at reducing caries in children and adults. With the exception of dental fluorosis, no association between adverse effects and water fluoridation has been established.”

The report also noted that adding fluoride to water benefits all social classes by reducing caries (cavities) and that fluoridation “may reduce the oral health gap between the social classes.”

In their conclusion, the authors write, “Water fluoridation, where technically feasible and culturally acceptable, remains a relevant and valid choice as a population measure for the prevention of dental caries.” (Emphasis ours.)

Beyond fluoride, drinking water brings a host of benefits to the body. Tri-Florida Water Treatment of Auburndale, FL, sells and services chlorinators, chemical feed pumps, filters, water softeners, reverse osmosis, drinking water systems, water purification systems and all types of water treatment systems. When you want the best water for your body, count on us to deliver. Reach us with questions or to inquire about our services at (863) 965-1439.