Public Health issues reminder about fluoride and sodium in Oxford drinking water
Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) has issued a public reminder about levels of naturally present fluoride and sodium in some of Oxford County’s municipal drinking water.
The organization said these may pose a concern for specific residents. Parents with children seven years of age and under should be aware of fluoride exposure to prevent dental fluorosis, while those on sodium-restricted diets should pay close attention to the sodium they may be consuming from municipal water.
Amy Pavletic, program manager of environmental health at SWPH, said the health unit is responsible for letting the public know this information.
“The drinking water in Oxford County is unique in the sense that the groundwater comes from underground aquifers that have naturally occurring levels of fluoride and sodium.
“Any drinking water that has a sodium level under 200 mg/L is considered safe. It’s not that the water is unsafe for the general public, but if there are individuals who might be on sodium-restricted diets due to various medical conditions, we advise that if they are consuming water that has sodium levels above 20 mg/L they be aware they could be consuming more sodium than their health professional may advise.”
This includes people with kidney disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, or liver disease. These residents should speak to their physician or health-care provider about how sodium in the water may affect their health. Communities with sodium levels that range above the recommended level of 20 mg/L are Tavistock, Bright, Brownsville, Embro, Ingersoll, Mount Elgin, Oxford South, Plattsville, Thamesford, Tillsonburg, and Woodstock.
Pavletic said when it comes to fluoride there is no health concern, but rather an issue of esthetics.
“It is to protect against dental fluorosis or discolouration of teeth in children seven years of age and under. Because of the naturally occurring fluoride, Oxford County does not add it to the drinking water. It is low and safe for the public to drink however when the levels do get high we want to make sure people with children under the age of seven know they could have some small flecks or observed marks on their teeth indicating fluorosis.”
While fluoride levels up to 2.4 mg/L are safe to drink, a reading above 1.5 mg/L could lead to discolouring. Fluoride levels above 1.5 mg/L have been reported in the communities of Brownsville, Ingersoll, Lakeside, Mount Elgin, and Oxford South during recent sampling events. The health unit recommends households with young children in these communities cut back on other sources of fluoride to prevent fluorosis, like choosing non-fluoride toothpaste.
The Gazette asked the health unit if people would be better off drinking water from a bottle or through various filtration systems on the market, but Pavletic said that isn’t something she recommends.
“You don’t have to buy other sources (of water) if it’s not something that concerns you. It’s really about people taking their health into their own hands when it comes to these elevated levels.”
Oxford County’s 17 municipal drinking water systems are continuously monitored to ensure safety and quality.
Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Wilmot-Tavistock Gazette
