Do You Need Flouride Treatment for Your Drinking Water?

Obviously, good parents want their children to have strong teeth. Yet, in spite of the improvements in dental care in recent years, a quarter of two to five year olds and half of children 12-15 have had one or more cavities. To counteract this, many suggest that adding fluoride to public water will help. But this opinion is in no way unanimous.

Fluoride in various compounds may be found naturally in water. In fact, it is the 13th most common element in the Earth's crust. The question is, when fluoride is not found naturally in water, should it be added? Studies have been made for decades and will continue. The purpose of this article is to consider both views and then present options. Do you need fluoride treatment for your drinking water?

Consider these quotes: “It is well known that fluoride helps prevent and even reverse the early stages of tooth decay.” “Today, water fluoridation is estimated to reduce tooth decay by 20-40%.” These statements were made by a medical doctor. Here’s another: “For over 60 years, water fluoridation has proved to be a safe and cost-effective way to reduce dental caries.”

The pro side says that fluoride decreases tooth decay in two ways. It works when it comes in contact with the surface of the teeth by preventing the acid made by the bacteria in plaque from dissolving, or demineralizing, tooth enamel. Second, it becomes part of the structure of developing teeth in children. Fluoride also encourages teeth damaged by acid to remineralize themselves. It can’t fix decayed teeth but can prevent new decay from occurring.

Those on the other side of the debate claim that a greater quality of fluoride actually increases tooth decay. At least, they said, this is true:  “. . . there is no difference in the tooth decay rates of the fluoridated and nonfluoridated areas surveyed.”

Fluorosis, a discoloration or mottling of the permanent teeth results when children 8 years of age or younger take in too much fluoride. During these years teeth are forming. To add fluoride to water along with what children get in toothpaste and dental treatments might well exceed this limit.

At times the studies have not considered the long range effects of fluoride. The con side says it has been directly linked to cancer, changes in bone structure and strength, has caused birth defects and perinatal deaths, has impaired the immune system, caused initial stages of skeletal fluorosis, caused osteoarthritis, inhibits key enzymes, suppresses thyroid function and several other adverse problems.

What about the studies mentioned above proving that fluoride is good for dental hygiene? Opponents point out the studies had several flaws. First, they did not consider other minerals in the water that could have been the cause of decreased instances of tooth decay. Second, they did not consider the differences between "natural fluoride" (like CaF) and added fluoride (like NaF). Third, the conclusion had little or no statistical analysis. Fourth, it included no safety experiments except for dental fluorosis.

If your conclusion from these points is that fluoride should not be in your drinking water, what can you if it is? Some opt for bottled water but this gets expensive. A better alternative is to purchase a water filter that removes fluoride. Some expensive units do this. Other less expensive units have optional fluoride filters. Berkey Water Filters, for example, has available an additional filter that can we attached below the regular charcoal filters and will remove fluoride from the water. If you don’t want fluoride, you don’t have to drink it.