What is Fluoride?

Flouride is a naturally occurring mineral which contains a flourine F- ion.

The addition of fluoride to water supplies is a hotly contested topic, Whatever your stance it is important to be educated on the topic, including what different levels of exposure mean.

The fluoride that is used to add to drinking water supplies is extracted from phosphate rock.

How does Fluoride get into drinking water?

The first and most contested way is that it is often added by municipalities up to a level of 1mg/L with the intention of reducing the incidence of dental caries.

The second way is that groundwater can contain naturally occurring fluoride, while rare in New Zealand, there are places overseas, where naturally occurring fluoride is outside of the range that is considered safe to drink and must be reduced or removed.

Can I remove fluoride from my water?

Yes, if you wish to remove fluoride from your water, this can be done with a fluoride specific under-bench filter or reverse osmosis unit.

Fluoride can also be removed from your entire house supply, however, this is generally very expensive and so is not common practice.