The Pros And Cons Of Fluoride Being Added To Our Tap Water

Adding fluoride to tap water has been a standard practice for decades in some parts of the world. Not all countries do it, and it’s been the subject of some debates over the years. Fluoride is generally beneficial to human health in small quantities, although some potential problems may arise from overconsumption.

What Is Fluoride?

Fluoride is a mineral that can be found naturally in many places, including soil and water. It’s known for promoting good dental health, mainly by strengthening the enamel. That’s why fluoride is a common ingredient in many types of toothpaste and other dental hygiene products.

Why Is Fluoride Added to Water?

Fluoride is linked with certain benefits to dental health, including lower rates of tooth decay and the prevention of some types of bacteria from thriving in the oral cavity. This has been known for quite a while at this point, and it’s the main reason behind the practice of adding fluoride to water.

In some countries, fluoride is added directly to the municipal water supply at treatment stations. This results in an even distribution across the entire population without requiring any special action from citizens.

However, according to research, tooth decay has been declining across the world as a whole. Countries that practice regular fluoridation don’t stand out in this regard.

Because of this, some people are skeptical about the practice of adding fluoride to water. There are also some valid concerns against it, in particular among people whose diets already include a lot of fluoride by default.

It’s also important to understand that fluoride may still be present in your water even if it’s not explicitly added to the water supply. Fluoride gets deposited into the water as it runs through rocks and soils, so you might still have a significant concentration of it in your drinking water.

Are There Any Health Risks Associated with Excessive Fluoride Consumption?

While fluoride is harmless and even beneficial in small amounts, it can also lead to some health problems if it’s consumed too much. Excess fluoride can lead to a number of conditions, including:

● Dental fluorosis

● Skeletal fluorosis

● Cognitive issues

● Damage to the thyroid gland

It takes a lot of fluoride to get to the point where you need to worry about these problems. But it can be surprisingly easy to consume too much of it if you’re not paying attention. For example, those who drink lots of tea, sweetened drinks, coffee, and/or take medication that has fluoride as an ingredient are at risk. Combining this type of diet with a fluoridated water supply can potentially push a person over the reasonable limits.

What’s worse, you might not even be aware that there’s anything wrong until some symptoms start showing up.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Adding Fluoride to Tap Water?

With all that in mind, what are the actual pros and cons of adding fluoride to tap water? Here is a quick rundown of things to keep in mind.

Pros

● Helps reduce cavities and improve overall dental health

● No need to specifically take fluoride supplements

Cons

● Difficult to control your intake of fluoride

● Overconsumption can lead to health problems

● The effectiveness of this method is still under question

What Can I Do to Lower the Amount of Fluoride in My Tap Water?

If you are concerned about consuming too much fluoride, don’t worry. You can make various adjustments to your lifestyle to reduce it. For example, you can look into drinking less tea and coffee, or switch to toothpaste without fluoride. Check the medications you’re taking on a regular basis, if any – if they contain fluoride, it can be worth consulting your physician for alternatives that exclude it.

You can also take steps to remove fluoride from your tap water, or at least reduce its concentration significantly. This requires filtration. It’s important to note that not all water filters can remove fluoride. In fact, most basic water filters on the market can’t.

This makes it important to specifically look for filters that have been designed for fluoride, such as reverse osmosis and activated alumina models. If you need a quick overview of the current market situation, these filters are ranked as the best at removing fluoride from tap water. There are other options available too, but this list should cover the basic needs of most people.

It’s always important to monitor your health when making long-term adjustments to your diet and lifestyle. Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about the amount of fluoride you’re consuming. And if you start to notice any suspicious symptoms, make sure to get a consultation before proceeding to make further changes to your diet.