Where Does Fluoride Come From?

Posted July 10, 2025 & filed under Facts about Fluoride, Fluoride and Public Health.

Fluoride is a mineral. It is present in nearly all bodies of water, all over the world. Water is called “fluoridated” when a public water system adjusts the amount of fluoride so that there is just enough to prevent tooth decay. About 75% of Americans whose homes are connected to public water systems receive fluoridated water just by turning on the tap.

We know that adjusting the amount of fluoride in our water systems to the ideal level reduces cavities by strengthening teeth. Community water fluoridation is an important public health measure because strong, healthy teeth are an important part of a healthy life. But where does fluoride come from?

Fluoride is derived from natural calcium deposits in phosphate rock and then purified. These materials are also used to create a number of other products, such as cosmetics, ceramics, animal food, and soil fertilizer, that people use every day. Throughout our lives, we ingest and benefit from minerals like iron and calcium that have many other uses.

You will see claims that the fluoride in our water is a “byproduct” or a “waste product” of fertilizer production. Sounds scary, right? Not when you have the facts. A byproduct is simply the additional or secondary output of a given process. Think about corn. Ethanol is a byproduct of corn in the same way that fluoride is a byproduct of the stone that is processed for this and other purposes. Waste, on the other hand, is material that has no useful purpose at all. Well, that’s clearly not true for fluoride! Using it in water protects the oral health of hundreds of millions of people every day.  Community water fluoridation, introduced more than 80 years ago, is as American as fresh corn on the cob.