Fluoride is a controversial subject in the United States. Some consider it to be necessary for dental health. Others are concerned about health risks. Still others simply want to be in control of what drugs come into their bodies and in what amounts. Here are some quick facts about fluoride.

Natural fluoride appears in your teeth and bones and in nature. When there is a balance between your natural enamel production and fluoride, you're fine. Too much natural fluoride and de-mineralization starts to occur, which can cause cavities. In a study of American teens using fluoridated water and South African children only exposed to low amounts of natural fluoride, the Americans had more cavities. An imbalance of natural fluoride causes problems, but what is in our water?

The fluoride used in a lot of water systems are hydrofluorosilicic acid and sodium silicofluoride. These are byproducts of the cement, steel, nuclear weapons and aluminum processing. They have no health benefits. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health warns of kidney, bone, teeth, heart and gastrointestinal problems.

Fluoride toxicity can be part of the causes of arthritis, teeth pitting, lower thyroid function, hyperactivity and an acceleration of genetic cell damage and aging. The American Dental Association stated in 1936 that 1ppm of fluoride can be as bad as arsenic or lead. In 1944 they said 1.2ppm can cause problems in development, stating "the potentialities for harm outweigh those for good."

Even if you're not concerned about fluoride in general, there is a secondary issue. Fluoride is everywhere. It can be found in drinks, foods, some pharmaceuticals, some instant teas and soy baby formulas. We are consistently overexposed.

The problem with fluoride is that it is so hard to remove. Standard water filters simply won't do it. It needs time to contact specific media in order to be reduced or eliminated. Below you can see the filters we use to solve this problem.

Bone Char

Our bone char is a 100% organic, Kosher certified filter media made up of 10% calcium carbonate, 10% carbon and 80% phosphate of calcium. It leaves behind the beneficial minerals we need, does not leach contaminates back into the water, does not affect water pH, and has no toxicity. It can remove fluoride, radioactive isotopes, heavy metals and chlorine. It is much more effective than coconut filters because it is hundreds of times more porous and has calcium that attracts fluoride. Because fluoride is so hard to remove, we recommend multi stage systems. Two stage systems can remove up to 50%, three stage removes up to 75%, four stage systems remove up to 95%, and five stage systems can remove more than that. This is based on a level of 1.5ppm of fluoride.

Bone char is made out of charred animal bone, where cow bones are removed from cold storage, cleaned thoroughly, put into the rain and sun for at least 90 days and then completely dried. After that it is carbonized at 1472 degrees F under controlled conditions. What you're left with is a very effective, organic, Kosher filter media.

Bone char also removes chlorine, as well as cadmium, lead, iron, mercury, zinc, copper, manganese, nickel, aluminum, fertilizers, radio-nuclides, arsenic, radium, uranium, herbicides and pesticides. It is chosen by fish farms and can remove Nuvan, Malochite Green, Tributyl Tin Oxide, turbidity and odors.

A little about HA2 Supra L bone char - We don't use Supra L because it is ground extremely fine, clogs easier and does not last nearly as long as our bone char. Our bone char can filter about 5,000 gallons under normal use for a family of four, depending on fluoride levels. Typically, people only need to change filters once a year. We tested water before and after with a LaMott digital fluoride tester to prove its effectiveness. We highly recommend bone char for fluoride removal, as only steam distillation and reverse osmosis can match the capability.

Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF)

KDF is proven to remove chlorine, iron, chloramines, bacteria, algae, fungus, most heavy metals, hydrogen sulfide and other contaminates. It's made of 50% pure copper and 50% pure zinc. When exposed to water it creates an electro-chemical reaction, converting free chlorine into simple chlorides. Harmful components are rendered harmless. KDF removes 95% or more of chlorine before it gets to a carbon filter, making the carbon last 15 times longer. The electrolytic field forms hydroxyl radicals and peroxide and inhibits microorganisms. Because the zinc and copper ions tend to reattach to the media, KDF meets FDA and EPA standards. It does not remove minerals.

Carbon Block

Carbon block filters are made from charred coconut shells, crushed to the consistency of a course flour before being pressed into a block. As water is pushed through, particles as small as 0.5 microns are filtered out. It polished the water, taking out pesticides, organic materials, bacteria, viruses, bad taste, cysts, bad odors, asbestos, cryptosporidium and giardia. It does not remove minerals, and is best used in combination with other media.

Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)

GAC is a lot like carbon block but the pieces of carbon are larger. It's really good at getting rid of bad tastes and odors. It gets rid of many contaminates but isn't as good at removing particles in the sub-micron range. It's an ideal post filter used in combo with other filters, and does not remove minerals.

Chloramine Filter

If you choose the chloramine filter, you will get a catalytic AquaSorb high activity granular activated carbon filter that is made from coconut shell charcoal using steam activation. The catalytic activity makes this filter highly effective for removing hydrogen sulfide and chloramines from the water. The large micropore volume means it is ideal in particular for removing organic compounds with low molecular weights like chloroform and other THMs (trihalomethanes). Other features include optimized density, low turbidity and dust, maximum hardness, excellent capacity of absorption, rapid dechlorination and more.
 
Chloramines are used in municipal water systems to kill bacteria. No one wants bacteria in the water. However, more information is coming out about chloramines byproducts and the health hazards they could pose. The Canadian EPA labeled chloramine as toxic in the 1999 Environmental Protection Act. It is toxic to amphibians, fish, marine invertebrates and water-based reptiles. Health issues may include blood and kidney problems, digestive problems and aggravated digestive disorders, a wide variety of skin problems, respiratory problems and other issues. In 2005 the California Conference of Local Health Officers reviewed past studies and recommended that the public exposed to chloramines be monitored for potential health effects of chloramine.