Do water filters remove fluoride?
You might have come across various discussions around fluoride removal and fluoride water filters. There is a debate that constantly exists on the benefits of consuming fluoride, especially for stronger teeth, and on the contrary why fluoride exposure is harmful. Fluoride in drinking water is not always helpful and investing in water filters to reduce fluoride exposure is suggested.
In this article, we will discuss in brief the healthy fluoride levels and if water filters remove fluoride, and the types of water filters that assist fluoride reduction in tap water and drinking water.
The basics of fluoride
Before we understand how water filters remove fluoride, it is important to know what is fluoride.
Fluoride is nothing but a naturally occurring mineral. This mineral is present in rocks and is released from them into the water, air, and soil. Almost all water is fluoridated water. Studies prove that fluoride exposure in healthy amounts is necessary to have strong bones and teeth. Fluoridated tap water and drinking water can help to prevent tooth decay.
In some cases, water fluoridation might be required with the fluoride amounts being very minimal. Larger quantities of fluoride are also not healthy, which can lead to dental fluorosis, weakening of bones, and even other health problems. In this scenario, fluoride reduction becomes the need of the hour. Here is where you have to make use of fluoride water filters to reduce fluoride exposure.
Can you drink water with fluoride on?
As aforementioned, there are ongoing controversies on consuming fluoride and whether it is safe for drinking purposes among the other contaminants. Rather than removing fluoride like other unwanted contaminants, there are some states that have fluoridation programs.
In a fluoridation program, rather than treating fluoride content as contaminated water, this water is added with fluorine. Fluoridated water is considered safe for dental hygiene and to get stronger teeth. Drinking fluoridated water from a young age can be associated with strong teeth and even help to prevent tooth decay.
Although this does not mean you can drink fluoridated water in excess amounts. On a thin line, fluoride in drinking water can also lead to dental fluorosis, increased skeletal fluorosis, lead to thyroid problems. Excess of fluoride in drinking water can affect human health in the long run. If you have been drinking fluoridated water, you must make sure it is within the right measure. Remember, you cannot drink fluoridated water in large amounts which can cause a severe impact on human health.
Do water filters remove fluoride:
The common question among customers when it comes to fluoride in drinking water is; do water filters remove fluoride and how can a water filter remove fluoride? Here is what you need to know about water filters and fluoride water filters.
Water filters are large and are specially designed equipment to remove contaminants from drinking water. Tap water or drinking water can have plenty of unwanted contaminants, right from bacteria, algae, microbes, and other contaminants. Contaminated water can also have a high dose of heavy metals. Tap water especially that is loaded with heavy metals is not safe for drinking. To purify this contaminated water, filters remove contaminants through a series of processes. The manner in which the heavy metals or other contaminants are removed will depend on the type of water filter.
When it comes to fluoride removal we must know that it is a challenge. All water filters are not capable of removing fluoride. However, to help a water filter remove fluoride with up to 95% effectiveness, there are special designs and techniques available.
Which water filter removes the most fluoride?
Let us take a detailed look at how water filters remove fluoride. The following are the popular types of water filters to remove fluoride with effectiveness.
Activated alumina filters
An activated alumina filter is the most effective and popular choice for fluoride removal even at home. Using activated alumina filters can guarantee the removal of fluoride from drinking water with an effectiveness of 95%.
The activated alumina filter media is made using aluminum oxide. This aluminum oxide in the media alumina filters ensures the removal of fluoride and arsenic only. Unlike most filters that target several contaminants, this aluminum oxide filtration system has only these two minerals as its focus.
You must also note that filter systems that use activated alumina filters for filtering water are capable of removing traces of other harmful contaminates. This has been proven to improve the water taste after filtering water. Keep a watch for most filters that make use of activated carbon media. A close watch can make sure you find the best alumina media for filtering water inside of the carbon media.
Bone char filters
The other ideal activated carbon filter is bone char. 90 to 95% of fluoride in drinking water can be removed by this highly porous carbon filter. It is not common to find bone char filters. However, the exceptional ability of the bone char carbon filter in fluoride removal deserves appreciation.
Bone char carbon filters can remove fluoride, radionuclides, volatile organic compounds, and even heavy metals which are not easily filtered otherwise. This capacity makes bone char carbon filter an ideal choice to remove fluoride in drinking water.
You must note that activated carbon filters are quite different from bone char carbon filters. Each of these implies different chemical reactions to remove fluoride from drinking water.
Reverse osmosis systems
A reverse osmosis system is another famous water filtration system that has been a trusted company for several years to filter water. Filtered water from RO systems has a special preference. An advanced and fully working RO system can filter fluoride from tap water or drinking water up to 95%. You might find that most RO systems are installed at him as under-sink water filters.
RO systems, the popular choice as under-sink water filters are built with a semi-permeable membrane that is designed to be a carbon filter as well as a sediment filter. Here, the reverse osmosis filter is the member that will remove fluoride. The reverse osmosis filter will function as a string barrier against all contaminants.
The advantage of reverse osmosis filters is that they do not remove fluoride alone. Reverse osmosis filters remove other harmful contaminants and impurities in drinking water as well, especially those that affect the water’s taste and smell.
There are disadvantaged to using the RO system. Most RO systems are expensive, almost all of them. Consistent maintenance and repairs of reverse osmosis systems are costly. Additionally, a RO water filter system will remove even the healthy minerals that are essential in drinking water. Removal of these healthy minerals in this water filter system affects not just affects the water taste, but also the pH and quality of the drinking water.
The water filter to remove most fluoride
It is not just sufficient to have a water filter remove fluoride content, it must be done in the right manner. Here we have the best fluoride water filter on the market. Let us take a look at the features that make this filter the perfect choice for fluoride reduction.
Waterdrop TSA-3 Stage Under Sink Water Filter
One of the best water filters available in the market is the Waterdrop TSA-3 Stage Under Sink Water Filter. This is one of the highly trusted water filter systems that is designed with 3 filters and can realize 8-stage deep filtration. This process will help to remove chlorine, silt, rust, cyst, and more.
With the Waterdrop TSA-3 Stage Under Sink Water Filter, you get the advantage of water that has improved taste and has also retained minerals in it. The longevity of this fluoride water filter comes from its age-resistant and freeze-resistant materials. The anti-crack and anti-leak designs are important to prolong the filter’s lifespan.
The best part of this filtration system is the on-demand water filtration solution. With this solution, the drinking water connects to your original faucet removing the need for you to drill a hole. These features make the Waterdrop TSA-3 Stage Under Sink Water Filter the best water filter for water filtration from fluoride and other compounds.
Pros and Cons of Waterdrop TSA-3 Stage Under Sink Water Filter
- Best affordable water filter pitcher model available in the market.
- The Waterdrop TSA-3 Stage Under Sink Water Filter is designed with 3 filters and can realize 8-stage deep filtration.
- The best choice for fluoride removal, and other agents of contamination like chlorine, silt, rust, cyst, and more.
- They are built to last long with anti-crack and anti-leakage designs. The age-resistant and freeze-resistant materials support this.
How can you avoid fluoride in water?
It is extremely difficult to avoid fluoride in water completely. If you are aiming to remove fluoride completely from your tap water and drinking water, you must look into advanced fluoride water filters. They are the only reliable options to remove all traces of fluoride.
However, we would like to remind you not to neglect the importance of fluoride in water in the right measures. Carrying out fluoride reduction carefully to keep within healthy limits is suggested. You will have to look at other ways to supplement fluoride to prevent tooth decay and keep the bones healthy.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Which bottled water has no fluoride?
The bottled water brand that assures its consumer that they filter fluoride completely is Aquafina. This American brand of purified bottled water is produced by PepsiCo, which is a global producer of purified drinking water.
Aquafina has one of the finest water filter systems that produce filtered water that is pure and safe for human consumption. These filter systems filter fluoride thoroughly.
2. Do fridge water filters remove fluoride?
Another type of water filter that is found on the list is a refrigerator water filter. A refrigerator water filter does not remove fluoride. You cannot rely on refrigerator filters for water filtration.
If you are under the assumption that fridge filters remove fluoride, it is false. You must invest in a good quality reverse osmosis system to obtain filtered water that is free from fluoride.
3. Can fluoride damage your kidneys?
Yes. High concentrations of fluoride are hazardous to health. If drinking water has high amounts of fluoride beyond the levels that render health benefits, it can lead to serious health damage. The organs that are easily affected by high fluoride concentrations are the kidneys and liver.
Continued exposure to drinking water that has large concentrations of fluoride can even lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is therefore crucial to have the right levels of fluoride content in drinking water. It is highly recommended to invest in the best water fluoride water filter, preferably the reverse osmosis systems that are commonly used sink water filters.
4. Is reverse osmosis the only way to remove fluoride?
No. As aforementioned, there are other ways to remove fluoride. A reverse osmosis system is only one of the under-sink water filters. Bone char carbon filter and activated alumina filter are the other options one can consider to filter water.
5. What cannot be filtered by reverse osmosis?
Despite the efficiency of reverse osmosis systems, these cannot remove filter many of the contaminants from drinking water. For example, RO systems cannot remove chlorine. If you rely on an RO system to remove chlorine or chlorine by-products, organic compounds, bacterial microorganisms, or even dissolved gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and radon, you will be disappointed.
You must consider methods of water filtration to remove the contaminants mentioned above. RO systems are not an efficient choice to remove the above-mentioned contaminants.
Conclusion
That’s a wrap to the article. We trust the article was able to learn in brief about the role of water filters in fluoride removal. Ensure to employ consistent and appropriate water filtering systems to remove fluoride in controlled measures, always bearing in mind the pros and cons of having fluoride content in water.
About The Author
Judith— a passionate water treatment specialist — is a waste water management enthusiast, clean drinking water advocate, and someone with deep personal experience and knowledge about various water equipments. Her work was mentioned in countless notable water associations. Previously she was an editor at Water Alliance.