In a previous blog post, I wrote about the dental effects of fizzy water. As a quick recap, all fizzy waters are not created equal. Some of them are quite acidic and others pretty neutral, and it’s often difficult to tell how acidic any particular one is based on the nutritional label. Some are quite sugary and others are sugar-free. Why does this matter? The sugary and/or acidic ones can be harmful to your teeth.
I thought I’d write a short follow-up blog post about bottled water. It is important to talk about bottled water because it is the most consumed beverage in the United States and because most people consider drinking bottled water to be healthy. Let me be clear: there are clear health benefits to drinking water and, of all of the beverage choices available, water is perhaps the healthiest option.
I specifically want to address the difference between tap water and bottled water. Nearly 73% of Americans have tap water that is fluoridated, meaning that fluoride has been added to it. Fluoride is an important agent for keeping enamel healthy as well as preventing bacteria from causing cavities. In fact, the World Health Organization called the fluoridation of community water sources one of the ten greatest public health movements.
Unfortunately, in a recent test of 92 different bottled waters only two contained fluoride at a concentration that is equivalent to fluoridated tap water. What does that mean? Assuming your tap water is fluoridated, tap water confers a significant dental health benefit over bottled water, helping to keep your teeth strong and healthy.
Fluoride is especially important during orthodontic treatment because orthodontic appliances (braces) can accumulate plaque making teeth more susceptible to cavities IF good hygiene is not in place. This is why my first rule of orthodontic treatment is “KEEP YOUR TEETH CLEAN!” I’ll discuss other sources of fluoride in another blog post, but, for now, tap water >>bottled water because of the fluoride in it.
