Is Bottled Water Harmful to Teeth?

Bottled water has become a staple of many Americans' healthy diets. Staying hydrated with water is a much better alternative to sugary drinks, energy drinks or sodas. However, bottled water may not be protecting your teeth, according to an article in HealthDay.

Most bottled water does not contain fluroide that most public water supplies in the U.S. have added.

Fluroide helps protect teeth from cavities. Most bottled water manufactureres opt out of adding it in.

Dental experts are concerned about the lack of fluroide in Americans' diets, especially for children. They cite an "alarming" increase in kids' cavities.

The American Dental Association says most bottled water with fluoride to not contain optimal levels. Look for 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million (this is the amount that is in public water supplies, in the communities that have fluoridated water). (Source: WebMD on Fluoride)

What can you do? Consider refilling bottles with filtered water out of the tap. It generally does not remove fluoride. Or encourage your children to drink tap water at home.

Talk to Dr. Staples about healty levels of fluroide for your diet!