Fluoride FAQs

Is fluoride added to tap water in Metro Vancouver?
Fluoride is not added to Metro Vancouver’s drinking water. The level of naturally occurring fluoride in Metro Vancouver’s source water is less than 0.05 mg/L. 

Which Canadian provinces add fluoride to drinking water?
The decision to add fluoride, or not, is made by each local water district or municipality.
The decision is not made at the provincial level. For instance, in British Columbia the only communities that currently (2024) fluoridate their water supply are Cranbrook, Terrace, and Fort St. John.

Which Canadian cities have fluoridated tap water?
The following is an incomplete list:
Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Hamilton, Windsor, London (ON),  Dorval/Pointe-Claire/Beaconsfield (QC), Halifax, Charlottetown 

How can I find out if my water is fluoridated?
Contact whoever manages water treatment for your municipality or water district.

What makes fluoridation different from other types of chemical water treatment?
All other water treatment chemicals are added to make drinking water safer to drink.
Fluoride is the only chemical added to treat the drinker rather than the drink.
Fluoridating drinking water is a form of mass medication.

Isn’t fluoride a naturally occurring element?
Fluorine is a naturally occurring element. Technically, fluoride is an ion of fluorine. Fluorides are compounds containing the fluoride ion. However, in daily speech we refer to the fluoride compounds used for water fluoridation as ‘fluoride’. 

Do carbon filters remove fluoride?
No. Carbon filters do not remove fluoride. 

Does boiing water remove fluoride?
No. Boiling water concentrates fluoride. Boiling water does not remove fluoride.

Does reverse osmosis remove fluoride?
Yes, a reverse osmosis system is an excellent way to remove fluoride from drinking water.

Do water distillers remove fluoride?
Yes, water distillation removes fluoride.

Does bottled water contain fluoride?
The answer is brand specific and depends on where the water came from and if/how it was treated before bottling.
Naturally occurring fluoride may be present in some bottled waters.
Some bottled waters are filled with municipally treated tap water. If that tap water is fluoridated, the resulting bottled water will also be fluoridated.

Is there a shower filter for fluoride?
Yes, some companies make this claim. The question is how long will it protect you from fluoride given the fast flow rate required for showering? Activated alumina won’t do the job.
Or are you willing to have a gigantic media tank in your bathroom for holding sufficient bone char which will also rapidly become ineffective. Perhaps a specialized tankless reverse osmosis system will come along to do the job. If so, we haven’t seen it yet. The other option is to install a whole house fluoride filter but that brings up the same challenges on a bigger scale.

How can I remove fluoride from all the water coming into my house?
This can be extraordinarily expensive and practically impossible to achieve because fluoride is very difficult to remove, especially for such a large and fast flowing volume of water as is required to supply a house. Whole house reverse osmosis or a filter with a LOT of bone char would be the two approaches to consider.

Is fluoride absorbed through the skin?
Oddly, there is very little information available on this topic. Hopefully this indicates a lack of negative incidents which would have spurred investigation of this topic.

What is the impact of drinking water containing naturally occurring fluoride?
Naturally occurring fluoride forms in rock as calcium fluoride and is released into surrounding water, soil, and air. High concentrations of naturally occurring fluoride are almost as poisonous as high concentrations of arsenic. In some locations, these high concentrations may occur in water drawn from deep wells.
Fortunately, the average level of naturally occurring fluoride found in most fresh water is less than 0.1 ppm, which is about 10 times less than the levels added for drinking water fluoridation (0.7 to 1.2 ppm).

How is water fluoridation different from water containing naturally occurring fluoride?
Water fluoridation is the practise of adding one of three manmade fluoride compounds to drinking water. These compounds are unpurified industrial by-products called sodium fluoride, hydrofluorosilicic acid (hexafluorosilicic acid), and sodium silicofluoride.

Is it true that fluoride is a rat poison?                  
Sodium fluorosilicate is used as rodent poison.
Hydrofluorosilicic acid is used to etch glass.
Sodium fluoride is used as an insecticide.

What about fluoridation of salt?
Fluoride is added to salt instead of to water in parts of Europe, Mexico, Central America, and South America. 

How can I reduce my exposure to fluoride? 

• If your tap water is fluoridated use and maintain a good fluoride filter. 
• Don’t use fluoride toothpaste or limit the amount that you use. Teach children to not swallow fluoride toothpaste.
• Pass on fluoride treatments at the dentist.
• Buy organic wine and juice to avoid fluoride-based agricultural chemicals.
• Avoid black and green teas unless from young leaves = more antioxidants, less fluoride.
• Avoid fluoridated salt when travelling to Europe, Mexico, Central & South America.
• Avoid bottled water that is fluoridated by selecting spring water brands.
• Avoid over the counter drugs that contain fluoride (most of them).
• Buy organic food. Fluoride-based pesticides concentrate in non-organic juices (especially grape) and processed foods. Avoid deboned meats (especially chicken).
• Make sure your microbrewery or bone broth kitchen uses fluoridate-free water.
  
  

For more information about the toxicity of Fluoride, and which Canadian cities do and do not fluoridate drinking water see:

Methods to Remove Fluoride from Drinking Water

WHO made water fluoridation a good idea?

The Biophysics of Fluoride by Neurosurgeon Dr. Jack Kruse

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Disclaimer
This article is based on the opinions of the author, unless otherwise noted. The statements made in this article are for information purposes only. They are not intended to replace the advice of a health care professional. This article should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this article. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.