Fluoride in Water

Surface Water

Is what you see in rivers, lakes, streams etc.

Groundwater is water that is found in aquifers below the surface of the Earth. To get groundwater, one must dig wells or borewells.

Groundwater

Water pollution of surface water bodies is visible in many places

But is groundwater clean?

When water seeps into the ground, it dissolves different substances depending on the type of soil and rock that it flows through.

Groundwater can get polluted naturally

Some of these substances like fluoride compounds can be harmful to health, if amounts greater than permissible limits are ingested over

long periods of time.

Natural pollution is a non-point source of pollution

The Bureau of Indian Standards states that in drinking water, fluoride levels are

0 0.5 mg/l

1.0 mg/l

1.5 mg/l

2.0 mg/l

Desirable

Permissible

Fluoride

• Low levels of fluoride in drinking water (0.5 to 1 mg/l) protect against dental caries

• High levels of fluoride in drinking water (above 1.5 mg/l) will lead to adverse health impacts ranging from dental fluorosis to skeletal fluorosis

• Fluoride levels in water beyond desirable / permissible limits is typically found in groundwater and not surface water

Fluorosis

©Ruhani Kaur/UNICEF India http://www.fannz.org.nz

19 states in India have groundwater that is rich in fluoride

Dental FluorosisSkeletal Fluorosis

Excess fluoride in the body (above 1.5 – 2 ppm)

Other symptoms

• Fatigue• Low hemoglobin count• Irritation • Loss of appetite• Excessive thirst and urination• Miscarriage• Inability to conceive due to defective sperm• Depression

Impacts of skeletal fluorosis

• Loss of livelihood since affected persons cannot work

• Loss of income • High medical costs• Poverty• Social outcasts since facilities for the

handicapped are lacking in India

Fluoride levels in groundwater are higher than permissible limits in 19 states of India

Over 6.6 crore Indians are affected by fluorosis

Mild fluorosis

Moderate/severe fluorosis

What can be done?

Where fluoride in water is between 1.5 to 2.0mg/l, avoid:

Canned fish

Dental products such asfluoridated toothpaste & mouth wash

Products containing black salt (kalanamak)

Eat more of fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C, Iron and Calcium

OrangeLemonGuavaGooseberry (Amla)TomatoGrapefruitAlmonds

AppleBrinjal

BananaBeetrootSpinach

Coriander leaves

In all fluoride affected areas, recharge the groundwater with rainwater

Harvest rainwater

Recharge groundwater

Thank you!