Continued Consumption of Bottled Water Poses Threat to Good Oral Health
As more and more bottled water are consumed, consumers are in danger of missing out on valuable fluoride found in tap water. Oral care experts from Dental Fort Worth said that by the year 2000 about five billion gallons of bottled water were consumed. This represented an increase of more than 200 percent from a decade earlier. "It is not yet clear if consumers drink more bottled water because it is an alternative to soda or convenient to do so. But one thing is certain-they are missing out on the valuable fluoride found in tap water. The fluoride in tap water helps protect teeth from cavities," said a dentist in Fort Worth. He said a study published in the January/February 2009 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal, has proven time and again that most bottled water do not contain the fluoride found in tap water. "Not that I hate bottled water. But it really is a rip off especially if you have tap water that has fluoride content in it. Why waste money on bottled water when you can have tap water instead," the dentist asked.
Dentists in Fort Worth, who have also conducted studies on the effects of tap water on the oral health of patients, said that according to the AGD study, several researchers tested the fluoride content in more than 100 different samples of bottled water. These fell into six categories: distilled, drinking or purified, spring or artesian, mineral, fluoride-added and flavor-added. According to the study, "of the total 105 samples, the fluoride concentrations in the majority of the samples fell below the U.S. government's recommended range of 0.7-1.2 parts per million (ppm), the ideal range to prevent cavities." The study pointed out that only five samples met the recommended range.
An oral care expert from Dentistry Fort Worth said that the AGD study's lead author, Ryan L. Quock, recommends that consumers should discuss their primary drinking water source with their dentist so that they can get a clear picture on how it affects their oral health. "Understanding consumers' water drinking habits is extremely important," Quock was quoted as saying. "Determining if they are drinking appropriately fluoridated water, especially when they have or are at risk for cavities, is crucial information, because fluoridated water is an automatic way for them to help improve their oral health. Talking to them also allows us to have a conversation about fluoride's effects, mainly focusing on its relationship to dental caries and fluorosis," Quoack added.
A DDS in Fort Worth said that it is important and crucial for the oral health of the consumers to get the appropriate amount of fluoride, especially among children, because it strengthens the teeth and protects them against cavities. Parents, the dentist added, should do some research, too, on the advantages effects of tap water that has fluoride in it. "Parents should know these facts before handing their child a water bottle," the dentist said. "They should know how much bottled water their kids drink so they can be sure that that they also receive the proper amount of fluoridated water that will keep their teeth healthy." Fluoride found in toothpaste, water supplies and other oral hygiene products is one of the basics of keeping children's mouths healthy.
For additional information, click this site on Dental Fort Worth. Zyra is a registered web copywriter for Dentist Fort Worth, Dentist Fort Worth.
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