Fluoride has been added to America’s drinking water for nearly 80 years in an effort to reduce dental cavities. East of the Mississippi, fluoridation is widespread. West of the Mississippi, it is more limited. In Minnesota, Illinois and Kentucky, nearly everyone who receives water from a municipal source gets fluoridated water. Close behind are North and South Dakota, Ohio, Virginia, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut and Indiana where fluoridation is in about 90% of governmental water sources. However, in recent years, the addition of fluoride has become controversial.
How Much Fluoride Is Too Much?
The answer to “How much is too much?” has different answers depending on who is asked.
- The Environmental Protection Agency set a limit of 4.0 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water.
- The World Health Organization recommended a limit of 1.5 milligrams per liter.
- The U.S. Health and Human Services Department recommended a lower level, 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter in 2011.
- The Environmental Working Group recommends a level of 0.7 milligrams per liter in water
Lower levels protect against the skeletal fluorosis that can occur when too much fluoride is ingested. Fluorosis causes deformities of bones. Dental fluorosis or mottling and pitting of the teeth can also occur. However, these are not the only concerns about the practice of adding fluoride to water.
Recent Calls to Further Reduce or Eliminate Fluoride in Water
In recent years, groups like Food & Water Watch, Fluoride Action Network and American Academy of Environmental Medicine have asked the EPA to reduce or completely eliminate fluoridation of drinking water. These groups cited studies that found that fluoride causes neurotoxicity in humans.
Fluoride neurotoxicity can affect adults and infants, and fetuses through the mother’s exposure to fluoride. Children are especially sensitive to this mineral. Many studies have shown that children in areas with high levels of fluoride in water had significantly lower IQ scores than those in low-fluoride areas.
One researcher even stated that “Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain. The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.”
Limited research has noted a connection between fluoride and bone cancer in young males. More research is needed to confirm any adverse effects of fluoride in drinking water.
How to Remove Fluoride from Your Drinking Water
To determine your local level of fluoride, the Basic Water Test from ETR Laboratories will analyze your water and measure the fluoride along with 52 other substances or water attributes. You can then determine if you need to filter your drinking water to reduce any health risk. To remove fluoride from your water, you will need to add one of these water treatment systems to your home:
- Reverse osmosis filtration
- Distillation
- Ion exchange
- Activated carbon filters
- Deionization
The decision about fluoride is yours. A fast and accurate test from ETR Laboratories will help you make your choices and supply your family with the best water possible. Get the Basic Water Test today so you can make a fully educated decision.
