Fluoride—some people swear by it, while others go out of their way to avoid it.

Whether you’re concerned about fluoride’s impact on your health or just want more control over what you’re drinking, removing or reducing fluoride in your water is becoming a more popular choice.

And the good news? It’s easier than you might think.

What Is Fluoride?

Fluoride is added to water to help prevent tooth decay. In Australia, water fluoridation — adding fluoride (usually as sodium fluoride or calcium fluoride) to public water supplies — has been the norm for decades. The idea is that fluoride:

• Strengthens teeth
• Helps prevent cavities
• Reduces dental issues, especially in children

But not everyone is comfortable with having fluoride in their water. Concerns about fluoride toxicity and long-term exposure have more people questioning fluoride’s impact on overall health.

So, while you can protect your teeth with fluoride, it’s not without its risks.

The Big Fluoride Debate

There’s a clear divide on whether fluoride is good or bad.

On one hand, supporters of fluoridated water argue that it’s a simple and effective way to prevent cavities.

Many dentists recommend using fluoride toothpaste for extra protection, and fluoride treatments like fluoride dental rinses are common.

But for those who are sceptical, concerns range from mild to serious. Fluoride exposure has been linked to issues like:

• Dental fluorosis (discoloured teeth)
• Skeletal fluorosis (impacts on bones and joints)
• Cognitive effects (some believe fluoride might act as a neurotoxin)

For those wanting to avoid these risks, fluoride-free toothpaste or non-fluoridated toothpaste are popular alternatives. And for people worried about their drinking water, using a water filter that reduces fluoride and other chemicals is a simple way to gain peace of mind.

Can Boiling Water Remove Fluoride?

If you’re thinking about boiling your water to remove fluoride, think again. Boiling water doesn’t reduce fluoride—in fact, it can concentrate it as the water evaporates.

So, if you’ve been asking, "Does boiling water take the fluoride out?" the answer is no.

For effective fluoride reduction, it’s best to use specialised filtration systems. Our water filters are designed to reduce not only fluoride but also other chemicals, ensuring your water is cleaner and healthier.

@glowlogic It’s the little things 🚿✨🩵 #skincaretok #wellnesstok #tapwater #waterfilter #glowlogic ♬ BIRDS OF A FEATHER sped up - Lilly 🎀

Why Choose Fluoride-Free Products?

As more people question the safety of fluoride, the demand for fluoride-free products continues to grow. Whether you’re using fluoride-free toothpaste or opting for fluoride-free water through a reliable filtration system, here’s why people are making the switch:

• Control over exposure: You can decide exactly how much (or how little) fluoride you’re exposed to.
• Health concerns: Fluoride has been linked to conditions like dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis in severe cases.
• Taste: Removing chemicals like fluoride and chlorine from your water can improve the taste, making it fresher and cleaner.

How To: Remove Fluoride from Water

If you’re serious about removing fluoride from your water, the best option is to invest in a water filter that removes fluoride. Here are your top choices:

• Reverse Osmosis Systems: These systems are among the most effective, pushing water through a membrane that filters out fluoride and other contaminants.However, they are quite expensive and take a long time to filter a small amount of water, so they aren't practical for anything but drinking water. We wrote a whole article on reverse osmosis filtration that you can read here - Reverse Osmosis Water Filter: Is It Really Worth the Cost and Hassle?
• Activated Alumina Filters: These are specifically designed to target fluoride, offering a reliable way to reduce it in your drinking water.
• Carbon Filters: Water filters that contain carbon are an affordable and effective way to reduce fluoride along with other common contaminants. Our Purifying Shower Filter for fluoride contains carbon and is able to reduce or remove fluoride and other harmful chemicals in your water.

For easy home use, consider a benchtop water filters that remove fluoride and fluoride shower filters, which help remove fluoride and other unwanted chemicals like chlorine.

If you're looking for portability, there’s even the fluoride filter water bottle, which ensures you can reduce fluoride on the go (coming soon!).

Our Purifying Shower Filter removes and reduces harmful contaminants like chlorine and fluoride, giving you cleaner, safer water.

Why Our Filters Are the Smart Choice

Our filters don’t just reduce fluoride—they target a range of harmful contaminants that might be lurking in your water. Here’s what our filters can do:

• Reduce fluoride and chlorine, improving the safety and taste of your water.
• Target heavy metals like lead and mercury, ensuring cleaner, healthier water.
• Simple to use with options for both drinking and showering, so you’re covered at home.

Whether you’re using our benchtop water filters or a fluoride shower filter, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your water is free from harmful chemicals. And if you’re wondering which water filters remove chlorine and fluoride, our filters offer comprehensive protection from both.

FAQ's About Fluoride

1. Is fluoride bad for you?

Fluoride can be beneficial in small amounts, especially for dental health, but overexposure can lead to concerns such as dental fluorosis (discolouration of teeth) and even skeletal fluorosis (impacting bones and joints). Some research has raised questions about whether fluoride might be harmful to cognitive function, with ongoing studies exploring its potential risks as a neurotoxin.

2. Does bottled water contain fluoride?

Sometimes! It depends on the brand and source. Some bottled water has fluoride added, while others don’t. If you want to avoid it, check the label or opt for brands that clearly state they’re fluoride-free.

3. What are the side effects of fluoride in water?

Overexposure to fluoride can lead to dental fluorosis (white or brown spots on your teeth) or, in extreme cases, skeletal fluorosis (bone and joint problems). There are also concerns that fluoride might act as a neurotoxin, potentially affecting brain function.

4. Can fluoride whiten teeth?

No, fluoride doesn’t whiten teeth. Its main job is to prevent tooth decay by strengthening enamel. If you're looking for a brighter smile, opt for a whitening toothpaste or treatment.

5. How do you get fluoride out of water?

To remove fluoride effectively, you need a good filtration system. Options like reverse osmosis, activated alumina filters, and our fluoride removal filters can all help reduce fluoride in your drinking water.

6. Does reverse osmosis take out fluoride?

Absolutely. Reverse osmosis systems are highly effective at removing fluoride, as well as other chemicals and contaminants. But they are expensive and slow to filter, so they can only be used for drinking water. Read more in our Reverse Osmosis Water Filter: Is It Really Worth the Cost and Hassle? article.

7. What are the side effects of fluoridated water?

The main risks are dental fluorosis (causing discolouration of the teeth) and skeletal fluorosis (affecting bones). There’s also ongoing research into whether fluoride exposure can affect brain health, with some concerns it may act as a neurotoxin.

8. Where does fluoride in water come from?

Fluoride in water comes either naturally from minerals in soil and rock or is added during water treatment as part of a water fluoridation program to reduce tooth decay.

9. Does spring water have fluoride?

Natural spring water may contain fluoride depending on where it’s sourced. Some bottled spring waters add fluoride during processing, so if you’re looking to avoid it, check the label.

10. What’s the best fluoride-free toothpaste?

The best fluoride-free toothpaste depends on your needs. Look for natural fluoride-free toothpaste options that use ingredients like baking soda or xylitol to maintain oral hygiene without fluoride. Personally, we've been using Grants fluoride free toothpaste for about 15 years and absolutely love it.