Fluoride’s harmful effects in drinking water.

One of the most prevalent minerals in water is fluoride, which is added to practically all goods used on a daily basis. Although this mineral has many advantages, excessive fluoride can have serious negative effects on the body, including renal disorders.

Fluorosis, which weakens bodily tissues and cell growth and affects tooth enamel, can also be brought on by too much fluoride. Furthermore, large concentrations of this organic mineral may be hazardous to the brain and nerve cells, leading to a neurological breakdown, memory loss, and even learning difficulties. Fluoride in drinking water, however, can also strengthen bones and teeth to a certain extent.

The WHO recommends 1.5 mg/L of fluoride in drinking water, while only 1 mg/L is useful for people in terms of avoiding dental caries. On the other hand, the Maximum Contaminant Level for fluoride in public water systems is somewhere about 4 mg/L. (MCL). If the amount of fluoride in the water surpasses this limit, it is not considered safe to consume because fluoride can have harmful effects on the body.

Does boiling water remove fluoride?

No, is the response. Actually, boiling water can cause the quantity of fluoride to increase. Only chlorine and other bacteria can be removed from water by boiling it, but the amount of this mineral grows during the boiling process.

Can RO filter fluoride?

Reverse osmosis (RO), distillation, activated carbon, Reviva, and candle filter are the five purification methods. According to a study published in the Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, it was the RO method combined with Reviva that helped in the most reduction of this mineral. Water for this study came from a borewell and the city’s tap in Devangere, Karnataka.

In another study, after passing through multiple RO filters, the majority of the water samples revealed a decrease in fluoride level in the range of 0.1-0.8 ppm, which was published in the International Journal of Dental Sciences and Research. The mean difference in fluoride removal was found to be (0.4) and (0.45) ppm for RO filters with the cellulose-based or thin-film composite membrane, respectively.