Do water filters remove fluoride?

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SUMMARY

Water filters, specifically Brita filters, do not remove fluoride from drinking water, as confirmed by Brita's official website. These filters utilize activated carbon and ion exchange resins, which are ineffective against fluoride removal. While tap water often contains added fluoride, many bottled waters are simply purified tap water and may also contain fluoride, depending on their source. Reverse osmosis units are effective in removing fluoride, making them a viable option for those concerned about fluoride intake.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of water filtration methods, specifically activated carbon and ion exchange resins.
  • Knowledge of fluoride's role in dental health and its sources in drinking water.
  • Familiarity with reverse osmosis technology and its applications in water purification.
  • Awareness of the differences between tap water and bottled water sources.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effectiveness of reverse osmosis systems for fluoride removal.
  • Explore the health implications of fluoride in drinking water.
  • Investigate various water filtration systems and their capabilities regarding fluoride and other contaminants.
  • Learn about the regulations and practices surrounding water fluoridation in different regions.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for health-conscious consumers, water quality researchers, and anyone interested in understanding the implications of fluoride in drinking water and the effectiveness of various filtration systems.

Pengwuino
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I noticed on the news a thing on tooth care and one thing they said was that drinking tap water is better than bottled water because of the fluoride in the tap water. That made me realize that a good portion of the water I drink is filtered using one of those Brita filters! So do filters, such as those by Brita (which I assume are simply activated carbon), remove fluoride? And is it true that I'm not getting fluoride when drinking bottled waters?
 
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I can be wrong, but I doubt. These filters contain two active substances. One is some kind of ion exchange resin which removes calcium and magnesium carbonates to soften the water, other is activated carbon that removes organic impurities - these are relatively large organic molecules. Neither of these active substances should be effective when it comes to removing fluoride, so I would expect most of it to come through.
 
One reason that tap water is healthier to drink is that it contains the carbonates.Is that correct?
 
Never heard about it.

Doesn't mean much.
 
From Brita's website...

BRITA products have no effect on the fluoride content of water.
 
chemisttree said:
From Brita's website...

*facepalm*

I'm one of those people who can't just google something apparently :(
 
LOL! I thought the funny thing was the inference that all bottled water didn't have fluoride and that tapwater did. There are still tapwater sources without added fluoride. Most bottled water is just purified tap water so most bottled water should have as much fluoride as it's tapwater source.
 
No! Not the fluoride controversy again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcHNYenN7OY

hmmm... That's weird. I just discovered we don't fluoridate our water here. I don't have to worry about it. (I've been carbon filtering my tap water for 20 years now).

I'll just keep brushing my teeth with fluoride toothpaste, as always. o:)
 
On the other hand, under-the-sink reverse osmosis units do remove fluoride.
 

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