We are told that adding fluoride to our drinking supply is good for our health? But is it really as good for us as we think it is? The chemicals used to add fluoride to our drinking water include fluorosilic acid, sodium fluorosilicate and sodium fluoride but unlike the fluoride found in toothpaste, the fluoridation chemicals that are added to our water supply are not pharmaceutical grade quality. Surprised? Even more surprising is the fact that the fluoride is an unpurified industrial by-product that is purchased from overseas markets.

Causes of Arsenic in Water

These added chemicals receive very minimal processing and are known to contain elevated levels of contaminants including arsenic. Research strongly indicates that both epidemiological and laboratory investigations have detected associations between fluoridation of water with fluorosilicic acid and elevated levels of exposure to lead, with particular emphasis on those living in homes with older plumbing. In recent years an increasing number of water departments have begun to purchase chemicals from China. Based on research, it strongly appears that the quality control of these chemicals is sadly lacking. In fact there is still less known about the source of these chemicals than we do know although testing indicates that the contents of the chemicals can vary dramatically. The level of arsenic found in fluoridation chemicals should not be taken lightly but exactly how much arsenic do fluoridation chemicals contains depends on who you happen to ask and when you happen to ask them.

Health Effects of Lead in Water

But it’s not just arsenic that we should be concerned about in the water supply, recent data suggests that fluoridation chemicals may also be leaching lead out of the pipes. Exposure to lead can cause a serious range of side effects including reduced IQ and asthma. While concerns over fluorosilicic acid have been voiced for a number of years, the general consensus deems it a safe practice as long as a buffering agent is added with the fluorosilicic acid; the finished product would not have a corrosive effect. Once study by a team of researchers from the University of North Carolina submerged brass pipes which contained lead in water that was treated with various chemicals including silicofluorides under controlled conditions. The researchers found that the silicofluorides showed a significant increase in the level of lead found in the water, especially when used in conjunction with chloramines and chlorine.

Water Corrosion

The researchers also noted that prior to their study; the correlation between brass corrosion by combinations of either chlorine or chloramine has been neglected. It was determined that such possible combinations can produce increased levels of corrosion than either the use of disinfectants or fluoridating agents used alone. Evidence suggests that fluoridating water supplies can increase the exposure of our children, particularly children that are either living in older homes or in areas where both hydrofluorosilicic acid and chloramines are added to the water supply.

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