Did
you know?
Reverse osmosis is the finest water filtration method known. This process will
allow the removal of particles as small as ions from a solution. It is used
to purify water and remove salts and other impurities in order to improve the
color, taste or properties of the fluid. R.O. uses a membrane that is semi-permeable,
allowing the fluid that is being purified to pass through it, while rejecting
other ions and contaminants from passing. This technology uses a process
known as crossflow to allow the r.o. membrane to continually clean itself. This
is the reason of why an r.o. element can last many years before clogging or
need replacement. This
water purification process requires a driving force to push the fluid through
the membrane, and the most common force is household water pressure or pressure
from a booster pump. The higher the pressure, the larger the driving force and
efficiency.
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THE DEBATE OVER ADDING FLUORIDE IN OUR WATER
The
debate over the positives and negatives of the addition of fluoride to
drinking water has raged on for quite some time. Surveys done by water
companies across the United States have indicated an even split between
opponents and supporters of the practice.
The
Pros
Adding
fluoride to public water supplies has been credited with being responsible
for the decline in tooth decay within the United States since the mid-1980s.
Affordable and convenient, it has been lauded as an important advancement
in overall health and helps to protect against cavities.
The
American Dental Association's official position on fluoride is that it
is completely safe for humans (if controlled at below recommended levels)—a
position shared by many other health organizations.
Fluoride
addition is sometimes viewed especially important in low-income areas,
where access to non-water sources of fluoride (such as toothpastes) is
limited to residents.
The
Cons
Although
it is up to each individual water supplier as to whether to add fluoride,
the Environmental Protection Agency has set a maximum level of 4 mg/L
fluoride for human consumption. Consumption at higher levels over time
has been proven to cause painful bone disease.
However,
even at this level, fluoride can cause dental fluorosis, or browning and
pitting of the teeth, in young children. Thus far, it is only known to
affect developing teeth before they come up through the gums. An estimated
10-15% of young people who receive the recommended dose of fluoride suffer
from some degree of fluorosis. Children nine and under should not consume
water with fluoride levels exceeding 2 mg/L.
While
credited for decreasing cavities among Americans, extensive studies have
shown a surprising similarity in increased dental health in both communities
with and without fluoridated water. It follows that the decrease in tooth
decay may be better credited to an improvement in dental health care,
earlier intervention, and the prevalence of fluoride in toothpastes and
other mouth products, although further research is still necessary.
The
Risks Outweigh The Benefits
Propaganda
on both sides of the fluoridation debate has seriously clouded the ability
to be objective as to the pros and cons of adding fluoride to public water
supply. When scrutinized, the improvement in dental health over the last
two decades is better attributed to improved diets and better (and earlier)
dental care than to fluoridated water alone.
Fluoride
does offer cavity-prevention—in limited quantities. However, water
suppliers who follow the maximum EPA guidelines put young children and
their developing teeth at risk for disease, as the maximum fluoride level
is twice that of the recommended level for children.
Given
the prevalence of fluoride in toothpaste, mouth rinses, and other dental
products, combined with semi-annual fluoride treatments from a dentist,
the addition of fluoride to public water supplies or in bottled water
is an unnecessary endeavor that can, in fact, be detrimental to long-term
dental and overall health.
Reverse
osmosis can remove 90-95% of the fluoride from your drinking water.
Healthy and Convenient!
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