Why do we add fluoride to our water?
Fluoridated community water systems adjust fluoride to approximately 0.7 milligrams per Liter (mg/L). Because in some rare locations fluoride is naturally present in water at much higher levels, the EPA established a Maximum Contaminant Level …
How is fluoride treated in wastewater treatment?
Chlorine can be removed by activated charcoal down to fairly low levels ( but the activated carbon becomes saturated, so needs to be changed after a while), and so can fluoride - but activated …
What are fluoride and chloride used for?
chloride, 2 ppm fluoride, and 250 1ppm sulfate. Chloride and fluoride are very common in water systems as they are added to drinking water for various health and sanitary purposes. …
How much chloride and fluoride should be in drinking water?
What does fluoride in water do?
Fluoride helps to rebuild and strengthen the tooth's surface, or enamel. Water fluoridation prevents tooth decay by providing frequent and consistent contact with low levels of fluoride. By keeping the tooth strong and solid, fluoride stops cavities from forming and can even rebuild the tooth's surface.
How does fluoride work?
When your saliva has fluoride in it from sources like toothpaste or water, your teeth are able to take it in. Once in your enamel, fluoride teams up with calcium and phosphate there to create the most powerful defense system your teeth can have to prevent cavities from forming: fluoroapatite.
What does high fluoride in water mean?
The disease and how it affects people Ingestion of excess fluoride, most commonly in drinking-water, can cause fluorosis which affects the teeth and bones. Moderate amounts lead to dental effects, but long-term ingestion of large amounts can lead to potentially severe skeletal problems.
What concentration of fluoride in a municipal water supply is required to significantly reduce the caries incidence without causing dental fluorosis?
For community water systems that add fluoride to their water, PHS recommends a fluoride concentration of 0.7 mg/L (parts per million [ppm]) to maintain caries prevention benefits and reduce the risk of dental fluorosis.
Why do you need fluoride?
Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by making the tooth more resistant to acid attacks from plaque bacteria and sugars in the mouth. It also reverses early decay.
What are the main advantages of fluoride varnish?
Fluoride varnish slows down the development of decay by stopping demineralisation. It makes the enamel more resistant to acid attack, and speeds up remineralisation. Fluoride varnish is the best solution for kids.
What is the concentration of fluoride in water?
What is the difference? The current enforceable drinking water standard for fluoride is 4.0 mg/L. This is the maximum amount that is allowed in water from public water systems, also called the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL).
What does fluoride pollution affect?
Fluorine pollution mainly affects teeth. Note: Water fluoridation has occurred in many developing countries as an act to improve dental health. Nowadays many toothpaste companies are also including fluoride in their product.
What are the cons of fluoride?
The cons of fluoride Certain studies have shown that fluoride may contribute to weakening the bones and maybe even the joint's connective tissues. Fluoride also causes a condition known as fluorosis, which causes tooth discoloration.
What is the role of fluoride in the treatment of dental caries?
Fluoride prevents tooth decay by making the enamel more resistant to the action of acids. They and accelerate the buildup of healthy minerals in the enamel, further slowing the occurrence of decay.
How does fluoride prevent tooth decay?
Fluoride is one of the most powerful minerals to help prevent tooth decay by making the tooth enamel more resistant to those attacking acids. It can also actually reverse very early decay.
What is the role of fluoride as anticaries?
Caries is generally considered to be a sub-surface phenomenon. With fluoride treatment, a non-cavitated lesion can be remineralized with fluorapatite and have greater resistance to subsequent demineralization than hydroxyapatite. Even at very low concentrations, fluoride is effective as an anticaries agent.
Why is fluoride added to water?
Fluoride is added to the water supply for dental hygiene and fluoridating drinking water is accepted as a benefit . Chlorine evaporates eventually but fluoride remains in the water and cooking, food processing, filtration, or digestion doesn’t remove fluoride and it accumulates in fat cells. Fluoride is a carcinogenic industrial waste and causes teeth to rot and crumble, as well as your bones and cause osteoporosis?
What happens if you put more fluoride in water?
The More Fluoride In The Water, The More Tooth Malformation And Discoloration.
What are the two toxic chemicals in water?
Chloroform (a Trihalomethane or THM) and trichloroethylene (TCE) are two highly volatile toxic chemicals that have been identified in many municipal drinking-water supplies. The National Academy of Sciences has estimated that 200 to 1000 people may die in the U.S. each year (1986) from cancers caused by ingesting these contaminants in water . However, the major threat caused by these water pollutants is far more likely to be as air pollutants in the home, according to a study by Dr. Julian Andelman. He found that in the shower when temperature and chemical concentrations increase and diameter of shower head hole decreases, volatilization increases. His data indicate that hot showers (109F) can liberate about 50% of the dissolved chloroform and 80% of the dissolved TCE into the air. Both the heat and the large surface-to-volume ratio of small droplets increase vaporization. Chlorine, TCE, chloroform, benzene and others are readily absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream.
Does chlorine affect skin?
The researchers concluded that skin absorption of contaminants in municipal water has been underestimated and that ingestion may not constitute the sole or even primary route of exposure. In addition to penetration of contaminants through the skin to the body as a whole, the contaminants can adversely affect the skin itself. Chlorine chemically bonds with proteins in the hair, skin and scalp. Hair can becomes rough and brittle and lose color. Skin can dry out with itchy, flaky scalp occurring. Chlorine can aggravate sensitive areas in the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.
How many people die from fluoride in the US each year?
They actually put a number on it: ” 30,000 to 50,000 deaths each year from various causes may now be attributable to fluoridation. This total includes 10,000 to 20,000 deaths attributable to fluoride-induced cancer every year.” These findings were first confirmed, then denied by the National Cancer Institute (what a surprise). Finally the research was upheld as valid in two separate state courts, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
Is fluoride poisonous to children?
Taylor Study, University of Austin: fluoride concentration of 1PPM (parts per million) increase s tumor growth rate by 25% Fluoride is more poisonous than lead, and just less poisonous than arsenic – Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products — 1984 “A seven ounce tube of toothpaste, theoretically at least, contains enough fluoride to kill a small child.” – Procter&Gamble, quoted in Fluoride the Aging Factor p14 Fluoride supplements should not be given to children under three years old – 1992 Canadian Dental Association Proposed Fluoride Guidelines, Dr. Limeback Fluoride Accelerates Your Aging Process. Austrian researchers proved in the 1970s that as little as 1 ppm fluoride concentration can disrupt DNA repair enzymes by 50%. When DNA can’t repair damaged cells, we get old fast.
Does fluoride cause cancer?
increases the tumor growth and the general cancer rate. Fluoride has been linked to cancer , low IQ genetic disorders and muscle degeneration
How much fluoride is in water?
Fluoridated community water systems adjust fluoride to approximately 0.7 milligrams per Liter (mg/L). Because in some rare locations fluoride is naturally present in water at much higher levels, the EPA established a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for fluoride of 4.0 mg/L (parts per million).
What is sodium fluoride?
Sodium fluoride: a dry salt additive, typically used in small water systems, dissolved into a solution before being added to water.
Why should sodium fluoride be included in FSA?
The studies that examined potential health effects from sodium fluoride additives in drinking water should also apply to FSA because they have the same results for ionic disassociation.
What are the EPA requirements for fluoride?
All additives used by water treatment plants, including fluoride additives, must meet strict quality standards that assure the public’s safety. These additives are subject to a stringent system of standards, testing, and certificates by AWWA and NSF International.
When did the EPA start a moratorium on additives?
Because of the decision to transfer the additives program to the private sector, EPA declared a moratorium in 1980 on issuing new advisory opinions on additives. EPA awarded a cooperative agreement to a group of nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations led by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) in 1985 (now NSF International) to develop a new additives program. Three years later, EPA announced that the new National Sanitation Foundation/American National Standards Institute (NSF/ANSI) Standard 60 was in operation.
What is the solution to neutralize FSA?
FSA can be partially neutralized by either table salt (sodium chloride) or caustic soda to get sodium fluorosilicate. If enough caustic soda is added to completely neutralize the fluorosilicate, the result is sodium fluoride. About 90% of the sodium fluoride used in the United States comes from FSA.
Is FSA a fluoride?
Since the early 1950s, FSA has been the main additive used for water fluoridation in the United States. The favorable cost and high purity of FSA make it a popular additive. Sodium fluorosilicate and sodium fluoride come from processing FSA, or from processing hydrogen fluoride. FSA can be partially neutralized by either table salt (sodium chloride) or caustic soda to get sodium fluorosilicate. If enough caustic soda is added to completely neutralize the fluorosilicate, the result is sodium fluoride. About 90% of the sodium fluoride used in the United States comes from FSA.
Why add fluoride to water?
It is noted that some municipalities add fluoride to drinking water (0.5–1.5 mg/L) because of its beneficial prevention of dental cavities. However, excessive fluoride is harmful to human health causing skeletal fluorosis (bone disease). Existing removal options for fluoride wastewaters include: 1) calcium fluoride ...
How to remove fluoride from water?
Fluoride removal is practiced in drinking water via adsorption, ion-exchange and/or reverse osmosis. These technologies should also be considered for industrial wastewater treatment, but are generally a better fit for low concentrations of fluoride. Calcium fluoride precipitation and coagulation is another option to remove fluoride ...
What are the disadvantages of calcium fluoride precipitation and coagulation?
The calcium fluoride precipitation and coagulation method, however, has two disadvantages: 1) CaF 2 from the precipitation step and Al (OH) 3 from the coagulation step are both very fine particles, so their sedimentation and clarification times are very long, requiring large footprint clarifiers; and 2) overdosing of lime and coagulation reagents results in a higher chemical cost and a large volume of wet sludge for final dewatering treatment.
How much fluoride is reduced by precipitation?
Calcium fluoride precipitation can reduce the fluoride concentration down to about 8–20 mg/L, depending on the total dissolved solids concentration in the wastewater. A second coagulation step, using aluminum-based coagulation agents, is required to further reduce fluoride to less than 5 mg/L.
How much fluoride is in wastewater?
Typical concentrations of fluoride in these wastewaters can range from 100 mg/L to more than 10,000 mg/L. In general, fluoride discharge limits are less than 20 mg/L if the wastewater can be discharged into a public sewer system, and less than 5 mg/L if the wastewater is discharged into an aquatic environment.
What is the concentration of fluoride in wastewater?
Typical concentrations of fluoride in these wastewaters can range from 100 mg/L to more than 10,000 mg/L. In general, fluoride discharge limits are less than 20 mg/L if the wastewater can be discharged into a public sewer system, and less than 5 mg/L if the wastewater is discharged into an aquatic environment. In some jurisdictions, the fluoride discharge limit can be less than 2 mg/L. It is noted that some municipalities add fluoride to drinking water (0.5–1.5 mg/L) because of its beneficial prevention of dental cavities. However, excessive fluoride is harmful to human health causing skeletal fluorosis (bone disease).
What is the best way to remove fluoride from wastewater?
Calcium fluoride precipitation and coagulation is another option to remove fluoride from industrial wastewater to meet discharge requirements. This is suited for the much higher fluoride concentrations typically associated with the semiconductor industry.
What is the maximum amount of fluoride in water?
The agency has set a maximum amount of fluoride allowable of 4.0 mg/liter. Long-term exposure to levels higher than this can lead to several different health conditions. The EPA has also set a secondary standard of no more than 2.0 mg/liter to help protect children (under the age of 9) from dental fluorosis and other complications. This secondary standard is only a guideline, but public water systems must inform customers if the fluoride level goes above it.
What are the primary mediums through which people are exposed to fluoride?
The primary mediums through which people are exposed to fluoride are the diet (food, water, beverages) and fluoride-containing dental products (toothpaste, mouth rinse, fluoride supplements). Internal exposure to fluoride may also occur from inhalation (cigarette smoke, industrial emissions), dermal absorption (from chemicals or pharmaceutics), ingestion or administration of fluoride-containing drugs, and ingestion of fluoride-containing soil.
What is reverse osmosis filter?
Reverse osmosis (RO) filters, like the Springwell SWRO-Nickel and the Springwell SWRO-Bronze under-sink systems, are the most popular and most reliable solutions for filtering out fluoride from your drinking water. Both models are point-of-use systems, which means you can filter fluoride at specific areas in your house where you consume water. Best of all, they are compact and can fit comfortably under almost any sink and away from immediate view.
What is water filtration?
Water filtration systems are specifically designed to remove all kinds of contaminants and impurities from water. That way, you and your family can enjoy clean, refreshing, contaminant-free water, while reducing or eliminating the risks of diseases and illnesses.
What is the water quality report?
This report contains information about the levels of certain chemicals and other pollutants in the water, including fluoride.
Is fluoride in drinking water mandatory?
Adding fluoride to all drinking water sources is not mandatory in the U.S., but thankfully, the levels of fluoride in water are regulated by several government agencies.
What is the condition of bone fluorosis?
It is a condition in which excessive fluoride accumulates in the bone tissue, which can lead to problems like joint pain, fractures, stiffness, and osteosclerosis. However, over time, it can alter the bone structure, potentially leading to crippling deformities of the spine and joints. It can also cause calcium to build up in the soft tissue in the ligaments, causing them to harden. The more severe forms of skeletal fluorosis typically come with long-term exposure to unusually high fluoride levels, often in drinking water.
What causes chloride in streams?
During low-flow conditions, when groundwater is the dominant source of water to streams, high concentrations of chloride in groundwater in this aquifer system can cause chloride in streams to exceed the chronic aquatic criterion developed to protect fish and other aquatic life.
What are the factors that affect the concentration of dissolved solids in groundwater?
Groundwater age is just one of the factors that can affect the concentration of dissolved solids. Other factors include climate, geology, and human actions. Climate affects concentrations of dissolved solids in groundwater through precipitation, evaporation, and groundwater recharge.
How does irrigation affect salts?
Excess irrigation, especially in arid areas, can increase the concentration of salts in shallow roundwater by flushing concentrated salts in soil own to the groundwater table. (Credit: Jeff Vanuga, USDA NRCS) Human activities can affect concentrations of dissolved solids in groundwater.
How does geology affect dissolved solids concentration?
Geology affects dissolved solids concentrations because some types of rocks weather more readily than others. Some sedimentary rocks, such as shales, carbonate rocks, and evaporites, are more soluble and easily weathered than quartz-rich sandstones or crystalline rocks such as granites.
Why is groundwater more likely to be a problem than surface water?
High concentrations of dissolved solids are more likely to be a problem in groundwater than in surface water. That’s because when groundwater moves through the rocks and sediments that make up an aquifer, some of the minerals in those rocks and sediment dissolve, a process called “weathering”. Groundwater that has been in an aquifer a long time has had more time to react with and weather aquifer materials than groundwater that has recharged recently.
What are the effects of salinization?
Effects include reduced crop yield and restrictions on the kinds of crops that can be grown . Cotton for example is one of the more salt-tolerant crops grown in California. (Credit: Gary Bañuelos, USDA ARS)
How have human activities changed the water quality of rivers?
Geological Survey—concentrations of some water- quality constituents have increased while others have decreased.