Did you know that Americans drink about 50 billion water bottles a year? Yes, it’s true! That is a lot of water bottles. No doubt about it, water is good for you, vital to life, and people know it. We need water to survive. Our bodies are made up of 60% water. Staying hydrated has so many benefits; some studies have even indicated that staying hydrated can help prevent cancers such as colon, bladder, and breast cancer. It also helps to flush out bacteria and make our digestive system function properly. It can help with headaches, joint pain, and even make your skin look better. We could go on and on but we’ll get to the point: Water is good for your dental health.
What is very interesting is that most people don’t consider the water in your faucet at home to be different than water in a bottle. Have you ever wondered which is better, bottled water or tap water? There is a major difference: bottled water doesn’t contain fluoride.
The ADA (American Dental Association) endorses the addition of fluoride in our tap water as the public health benefits are staggering as dental decay rates have plummeted since. We know that fluoride helps in preventing tooth decay in both adults and children by replacing weaker minerals in the tooth with more cavity resistant ones. It has been stated that tooth decay affects children in the United States more than any other chronic infectious disease. We know that fluoride can help prevent this and the most effective and universal source of fluoride is from tap water.
While it is certainly a critical consideration that bottled waters usually do not contain fluoride, you may also consider that once the seal is broken on bottled water, it can become susceptible to bacterial contamination. Most tap water is safe to drink and provides the additional benefit of providing important minerals. Next time you are reaching for a glass of cold water, consider drinking straight from the tap!
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly and newly renovated office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. Our pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults and are proud to be Premier Providers of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen services. The ability to treat all patients with compassion and individuality, including those that may have special needs reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy and customized care options. We pioneered valued hospital affiliations to allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John Macomb Hospital, when appropriate or necessary, and our specialists are also proud to be on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
Image Courtesy of HealthAmbition.com
