What fluoride compounds are used in water fluoridation?
Nearly all of the fluoride compounds used in water fluoridation are obtained as a byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer industry. The three most common compounds used in the United States for adjustment of community water fluoridation to optimal levels are sodium fluoride, sodium fluorosilicate, and hydrofluorosilicic acid. The production and use of these fluoride compounds meet all of the standards of American Water Works Association (AWWA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) to ensure they are safe for human consumption. There is no evidence that any impurities in the fluoride chemicals used in water fluoridation have failed to meet any of these safety standards. More than 90% of U.S. public water suppliers use hydrofluorsilicic acid or sodium fluorosilicate chemicals for the purposes of community water fluoridation. These chemicals are less expensive than sodium fluoride, readily available, fully dissociate when they are diluted in
