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Are Fluoride Water Filters Necessary?
The basic scientific agreement is that excessive amounts of fluoride actually cause harm instead of prevent it. This is why you now see fluoride free toothpaste and other such products. Any time you have a public water source, you can be relatively sure that there is a need for fluoride water filters. This is because the public water supply is tainted intentionally with fluoride. It helps to keep certain bacteria from growing and it does help to create a cheap but effective method for maintaining the public water system. However, this can be problematic, especially for households with young children or babies. Fluoride in excessive quantities can be detrimental to the health of babies and young children. In fact, most public school fluoride programs are no longer in existence. The high concentration was potential dangerous for those children that swallowed the formula. This is true for households that do not purify their water from the added fluoride. Naturally occurring fluoride can be found in water as well. It's not uncommon to have a source of this mineral compound when eating certain foods. Of course, many toothpastes still carry fluoride because in small amounts it is healthy for the teeth. Fluoride water filters should be used so that you know how much fluoride your family is receiving. Unfortunately, you can't filter the mineral out with most of the popular filters of today. Some of the published material online states that the common household filters do, in fact, filter fluoride. Yet if you go to the website of the actual product or you call the company directly you will find that this information is actually not true. Your health and that of your family could be at risk even if you are filtering water from other contaminants. You might find a few filters on the market today that allow for de-fluoridation of the water during filtration. However, if it doesn't specifically tell you that it is effective on fluoridated water, then the chances are extremely high that it doesn't. Always double-check, research carefully and get reliable information before making a filter decision. You cannot boil the fluoride out of the water that you cook with. Boiling water actually has the opposite effect. It increases the concentration, which means that your family is eating higher concentrations every time you use straight tap water to make rice, pasta, and other such dishes. If you're boiling water for a baby formula bottle you are also increasing the concentration of fluoride. It is for this reason that fluoride water filters are at the center of this rather heated debate. It's not disputed that our bodies need a certain level of fluoride in order to remain healthy. But how much is too much and how can it be removed from the water supply? You can freeze the water but this neither increases nor decreases the concentration of the fluoride. If you are concerned with protecting your family's health, you can start with a simple water test. In many cases, testing is free and you will get an accurate evaluation of the levels of fluoride in your tap water. Fluoride water filters are a better option than trying to decrease the natural sources of fluoride that are consumed through food. Eliminating foods based on their fluoridation also robs your family of other essential nutrients. To read more about different types of water filters, please follow these links:
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