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I live in a city without fluoridated drinking water. Do I have any options for adding fluoride to my tap water?

I found countless results online for filters that can remove fluoride from tap water, but I would like to do the reverse and add fluoride to my water. I am asking the opposite of this question about removing fluoride.

Ideally, I would be able to install some sort of faucet-mounted filter (similar to the image below) that could add safe levels of fluoride to my tap water. Presumably this device would need to be refilled or replaced once in a while. Unfortunately, I suspect that this type of device probably does not exist.

Does a device like this exist? If not, do I have any other options for adding fluoride to my tap water?

I rent an apartment and I am not permitted to make permanent changes to my plumbing. I would prefer options that involve minimal / reversible modifications such as a faucet mounted filter (i.e. solutions that won't upset landlord).

I am aware of the alternative methods for getting fluoride, such as:

  • Fluoride containing toothpaste
  • Fluoride containing mouthwash
  • Fluoride supplements

However, I am specifically asking about ways to add fluoride to tap water and I am not asking about these alternative methods.

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Scott Lawson
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  • Seems like this question might be a "shop for me" type question, as it sounds like you're looking for a faucet mounted fluoridation device. – Tester101 Sep 20 '16 at 23:49
  • @Tester101 I regret that it came across that way, and I didn't intend for this to be a "shop for me" question. I've done a lot of searching but cannot find any faucet mounted fluoridation devices. I suspect that they do not exist. I asked this question in the hopes of learning whether they do exist, or if there were other ways of achieving a similar goal. It is somewhat difficult to search for because the results are dominated by people wanting to remove fluoride instead of adding it. – Scott Lawson Sep 21 '16 at 00:12
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    considering excess consumption of fluoride is lethal, I doubt any product exists that could safely deliver the right amount with no chance of over exposure. I'd honestly recommend brushing with a dental fluoride treatment if you're really concerned. – SqlACID Sep 21 '16 at 00:15
  • I'm going to ding you, because it doesn't seem like you're solving an actual problem, but asking the question just to satisfy your curiosity. This is against the rules on this site. – Edwin Sep 21 '16 at 00:15
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    @Edwin, I agree and thank you for the feedback. I have edited my question to remove the part about "just being curious whether this is possible" because I actually am interesting in solving the problem of not having fluoridated water. – Scott Lawson Sep 21 '16 at 00:21
  • Most of the systems out there are made to strip fluoride from the water. You do not want to drink it just coat your teeth with it. – spicetraders Sep 21 '16 at 00:49
  • When I was a kid we had Floride tablets we chewed in the AM. I have not be able to find a way other than this to add fluoride, it may be because if two much it vac cause more harm than good. I did not see all the additional comments past testers so it is just a comment – Ed Beal Sep 21 '16 at 00:55
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    Ingesting fluoride is about as good an idea as ingesting polonium. It was yet another one of those stupid 1950s sorcerer's apprentice "let's tamper with the human enviromnent, for science!" (really for corporations) technological hubris, that didn't pan out so well in the end. The only part of your body that has any use for fluoride is teeth, and you can deliver it there without the health issues of ingesting it. Don't take my word for it, ask your **doctor**. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Sep 21 '16 at 01:24
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    @Harper and spicetraders, you are both wrong. According to my dentist, the **best** way to get a regular, measured, effective dose of beneficial fluoride for dental protection is by prescription tablet. I believe him as my 3 children had ZERO cavities growing up (compared to me and my siblings, too many). And they have no apparent deficits other than millennial apathy, cynicism, pessimism, and sarcasm. – Jimmy Fix-it Sep 21 '16 at 02:22
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    No dispute there, it's great for your teeth. Long as you don't care about any other parts of your body. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Sep 21 '16 at 07:41
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    Anti-vaxers vs everyone else :) My dentist, who is a friend, questioned how my a water tap on my kitchen sink was installed; I explained simply by a flex steel line and a water filter and he questioned wether the filter removed fluoride from the line (I don't know if it does or doesn't). Fluoride delivered via municipal water services is a perfectly valid and non-lethal way of helping to protect your teeth. Adding it to the supply post might be difficult to get the proportions correct, but I'd like to see a count of confirmed illness or death of people drinking floridated tap water. – lsiunsuex Sep 21 '16 at 10:41
  • @Jimmy Fix-it I assume you are talking about the fluoride chewable tablets and have read and understood the complete pharmaceutical instructions, precautions, dosing and side effects. And as you state they are prescribed by a dentist. So you get a controlled dose. If you want that controlled dose added to your well water or zero minerals water then you would want to have a prescribed controlled method for getting it. I have seen fluoride in city water being an issue long before millennials were born. I will keep mine in my mouth where its been working great for 60 years. – spicetraders Sep 21 '16 at 14:35
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    The usual solution for folks who do not have a fluoridated water source is, as others have mentioned, fluoride tablets or fluoride toothpaste. There are also prescription toothpastes with a higher than usual fluoride content, which are generally recommended only for adults since kids can't be trusted to use them properly. Trying to fluoridate your own water would be excessively complicated and failure-prone compared to these solutions. – keshlam Oct 03 '16 at 00:18
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because this is more a health device question than a home improvement question, and the real answer is that better solutions exist. – keshlam Oct 03 '16 at 00:19

4 Answers4

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I know this has gotten a bit off topic, but in an attempt to answer the question - according to my wife, a hygienist - your best bet is to use:

  • Fluoridated toothpaste
  • Take a fluoride supplement

However, I am specifically asking about ways to add fluoride to tap water and I am not asking about these alternative methods.

Too much fluoride can harm you. After researching this morning, I don't see a way to add it to actual tap water coming out of a faucet as your looking for. Trying to calculate water pressure, flow rate, storage and release time of fluoride tablets would be rather difficult I think. Similar to trying to add a multi vitamin to tap water stream. To little and it'll be ineffective; to much and it would make you sick.

This article may help

According to the CDC, "if fluoride levels in your drinking water are lower than 0.7 mg/L, your child's dentist or pediatrician should evaluate whether your child could benefit from daily fluoride supplements." The American Dental Association has a standard dosing schedule for fluoride supplements. Fluoride can be given in liquid form or in tablets and is usually taken twice a day and can be mixed with juice, milk, water, or food.

In your conversation with your dentist, you may find that supplements are not necessary if your child drinks a lot of tap water at school or a day care, and if your toothpaste has fluoride and is used on a regular basis. Have an open conversation with your dentist about how to get enough fluoride if you are drinking mostly bottled water, or if you use any alternative to tap water.

Ultimately, discuss this with your hygienist (it's more of the hygienist's responsibilty to answer this then the dentist's) and see if they can recommend a treatment plan or alternatives outside of the dental office.

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lsiunsuex
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    This is all assuming that there is no fluoride in the OP's drinking water. Fluoride is in water naturally. The OP did not say he went to the trouble of getting it tested, so we don't even know what quantity of fluoride is in the water to begin with. – Edwin Sep 21 '16 at 21:01
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As far as I can tell, no mechanism exists except for large scale water treatment plants, which are controlled to a strict 0.7 parts F to 1 million parts water. There used to be supplement pills you could get for free at the pharmacy, many years ago, but now you have to get a medical prescription and pay.

Daniel Griscom
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Zakmar
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Controlling the dose, 0.7 ppm MINUS any that is already in your water supply from well waters, could be difficult. I would not chance it without real dilution equipment rather than a peristaltic pump or some kind of venturi. Tygon can degrade and holes can clog. Mass flow controllers ain't cheap

I've considered using simple, manual dilution using either pure USP grade (or NF) Sodium Fluoride and some standard volumes (or masses). Alternatively starting from a commercial dilute solution (0.1M) is promising. Each purchase can involve less of the compound to waste (4.2 grams in solution rather than 100 grams pure). This whole idea needs some deference to shelf life of both the pure NaF and the solution as well as a slightly careful error analysis.

For the non quantitative among us, if I drink 4 liters of water tomorrow, I would have a dose of (0.7 ppm F- x 4000 g water =) 2.8 mg F-

Dr Milton Freewater
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Have you considered adding the correct amount of fluoride to water you are going to cook with? You mostly know how much water you use for cooking, so it would be easy to add the correct amount of fluoride salt to that water. Especially when you are making soup or other food where you consume all liquids used in the process. Additionally if you make tea or other drinks, you might add the correct amount to the water used for that as well.

Double check your calculations. Anything (including water) can become toxic if a high enough dose is given.

I have a masters degree in chemistry and teach it in high school b.t.w.

FreeMan
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neevok
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  • Welcome to [diy.se]! While I (mostly) agree with your rant, it's not appropriate or acceptable at this site, so I've removed it. Please take a few moments to take the [tour] to become familiar with how this site works and some of the standards expected here. – FreeMan Aug 23 '21 at 12:12