What is Fluoride?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral, often found in underground springs and bore/well water. It is also commonly found in food, plants, bottled water, and toothpaste. Studies have proven Fluoride to reduce tooth decay within the general population, which is why our town water supplies are dosed with it. Many of Australia’s cities Water Authorities have introduced Fluoride into their water supply, such as Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and the Gold Coast. The use of Fluoride is also increasingly being used in many rural/country town water supplies.

So – is Fluoride bad for you?

This is a question that causes a lot controversy. We believe that many people confuse Fluoride with Chlorine. It is the Chlorine in our water that is the cause of most of the unpleasant tastes and odour’s we experience in our Town Water supplies, whereas Fluoride is undetectable, both in odour and in taste.

It is certainly recommended you remove Chlorine as this will improve the quality and appeal of your water. However fluoride removal is a debate that Puretec as a company takes no sides on. At high levels Fluoride certainly would be detrimental to our health, however it shouldn’t be of concern as the levels introduced into our municipal water supplies is very low. Years of scientific research has shown that Fluoride is proven to reduce dental decay and cavities, which in turn can prevent hundreds and thousands of dollars in dental bills. In contrast, many people believe that Fluoride is detrimental to our general health and wellbeing. We’ve provided a few links below that will provide some helpful information to assist you in making an informed decision on whether Fluoride is something you want to keep in your water or not.

How can Fluoride be removed from my water?

Fluoride can be removed with some domestic water filters. Some companies claim carbon filter cartridges remove Fluoride, however this is not (always) accurate. In a residential application the best way to remove Fluoride from your water supply is with Reverse Osmosis Filtration, which will remove up to 98% of the impurities in your water, including Chlorine, Fluoride, taste, odour and chemicals, just to name a few. Fluoride can also be up to 80% removed, using an Alumina based filter cartridge. To see the Puretec range of products for Fluoride Removal please see the related products below.

Useful References:

Health Foundation
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/water-fluoridation-and-cancer-risk

News Report
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3707990.htm

Government Websites
http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/faqs
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/eh41_statement_efficacy_safety_fluoride.pdf
http://www.fluoridefacts.govt.nz/

Lobbyist
http://fluoridealert.org/

ABC.NET.AU Audio (28:36)
Something in the water — the bitter struggle over fluoride in Australia

Related Products:

Puretec Fluoride Removal Cartridge
Puretec Reverse Osmosis