How to Remove Fluoride From Water: 4 Easy-to-Follow Methods

fluoride from water

Fluoridation was started in the public water supply to reduce cavities long ago. You may know fluoride is present in your toothpaste and mouthwash nowadays. Although fluoride is beneficial, according to a few scientists, fluoride water can cause harmful effects, especially to infants.

You’ll wonder knowing that 97% of western Europe has opposed water fluoridation. Though fluoridation has both positive and negative sides, you’d like to be safer than being sorry. Right?

This article covers the potential health hazards and how to remove fluoride from water. So keep your eyes glued to have an insight.

Health Hazards of Fluoridated Water

Before diving into the methods of removing fluoride from water, let’s have a look at the potential health hazards of excessive consumption of this mineral.

  1. Tooth and Bone Damage

Consuming fluoride in drinking water has the potential to dental fluorosis and bone damages. Fluorosis is the culprit behind inelastic and brittle teeth and bones that can lead to bone fracture, tooth infection, and joint damage.

  1. Thyroid Problems

Consuming a higher amount of fluoride can put you at the risk of damaging parathyroid glands that can lead to a continuous parathyroid hormone expulsion.

This is how your blood starts to develop abnormally high calcium concentration so the bones start to lose calcium. Bones with lower calcium levels are prone to breaks and fractures.

  1. Neurological Hazards

Pregnant women who consume a higher concentration of fluoride water are at an increased risk of giving birth to children with improper cognitive function. Also, higher consumption of this mineral decreases IQ levels. One study shows fluoride as a neurotoxin that can be harmful to children’s cognitive development.

  1. Other Health Concerns

Additional health issues like cardiovascular problems, skin issues, and reproductive problems are associated with fluoride consumption. So, no doubt, removing this mineral from water is a must to stay healthy in the long run!

How to Remove Fluoride From Water: 4 Methods

After getting an idea about the potential health hazards, you might like to remove fluoride from your tap water. Right? 

Some effective methods of removing the mineral from your drinking water are-

  1. Distillation

Distillation is considered one of the oldest methods of removing contaminants from drinking water. Also, this method can be an ideal option for you if you’re looking for an affordable way of removing fluoride.

Unlike other methods, distillation uses a natural process like the earth-water-cycle that helps water condensate after evaporation.

The method includes heating the fluoride water to evaporate it into a new container to make it condensate. By this, you can get clean and pure water leaving fluoride behind.

Distillation has one dark side. It can remove the essential minerals too. So, if you want to increase the PH levels, remineralizing the water is recommended.

  1. Bone Char Carbon

Using bone char carbon, also known as BC carbon is another oldest method to make water free from fluoride. Bone char carbon comes in the form of water filter cartridges. Use them to eliminate 90% of mineral content from your drinking water.

Bone char is created by heating animal bones at an extreme temperature so the method is not easy to accomplish at home. And, if you’re a vegan, this is not for you.

  1. Using Reverse Osmosis Filter

A good reverse osmosis filtration system can be the best bet to effectively remove fluoride from drinking water. Remove 95% of fluoride from your drinking water using this method.

Using RO systems is common to remove fluorine as it requires less maintenance. Also, unlike other methods, this system is more affordable and safe to use.

This system uses pressure technology and forces the water to go through the filtration process and the carbon filters and semipermeable membrane of the filter absorb fluoride, lead, chlorine, and many more.

RO systems use a 4-stage process to provide highly purified drinking water. If you want reverse osmosis for the whole house, under the sink water filters can help eliminate all the harmful contaminants of all your sinks. 

One dark side of the whole-house RO system is it requires a lot of maintenance and cost. This is the reason many opt for the other alternatives. Installing a smaller one can be the best bet.

  1. Activated Alumina

Activated alumina, a solid form of aluminum is effective in absorbing contaminants like fluoride from drinking water. This is why this method has become popular over time to purify drinking water.

Alumina filters work well on the water that has a pH level of 8.5 or less. If you want to eliminate fluoride, the water should contain a pH level of 5 to 6. When the water passes through the filter, activated alumina granules absorb mineral contaminants, and provide pure drinking water.

Installing an activated alumina filtration system is complicated and requires a professional. Choosing a small system for your home is advised.

Final Thoughts

Although there is evidence that fluoride is great for your oral health, considering the serious health hazards that can be triggered by the compound, avoiding fluoride water intake is recommended. Hopefully, the methods described above will help you to reduce fluoride exposure.

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