Tupelo, MS – Dr. Richard Caron – “Your Dental Health” - Bottled Water

Tooth decay among children is increasing, and bottled water may be the problem. It's not the water that's causing it -- it's the lack of fluoride. Drinking water with fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. However, if your family drinks bottled water, you may be missing out on those benefits. That’s because many bottled waters do not contain fluoride. Also, if you use a home water filter you may be removing the fluoride from your tap water. Fluoride is an established way to prevent tooth decay. It's a natural mineral that's absorbed easily into tooth enamel, especially in children's growing teeth. Once teeth are developed, fluoride makes the entire tooth structure more resistant to decay. Always read the label, and try to select bottled water that contains fluoride. And be sure to use fluoridated rinses, mouthwashes, and toothpastes.