title: Effect of home-used water purifier on fluoride concentration of drinking water in southern Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fluoride in drinking water plays a key role in dental health. Due to the increasing use of water-purifier, the effect of these devices on fluoride concentration of drinking water was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Drinking water samples were collected before and after passing through a home water-purifier, from four different water sources. The fluoride, calcium and magnesium concentration of the samples were measured using the quantitative spectrophotometery technique. Data were analyzed by the Wilcoxon test. P value < 0.1 was considered as significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The result showed that the concentration of fluoride was 0.05-0.61 ppm before purification and was removed completely afterward. Furthermore, other ions reduced significantly after treatment by the water purifier.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that this device decreases the fluoride content of water, an issue which should be considered in low and high-fluoridated water sources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jaafari-Ashkavandi
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kheirmand
keywords: Drinking water; fluoride; water-purifier