A notable increase in tooth decay has been observed in many dental practices amongst adults and children who have historically had low rates of dental decay. With advances in technology and oral hygiene maintenance at an all-time peak, why is this happening? When I ask these patients about changes in their diet or hygiene practices that might explain this phenomena, there aren’t any. But guess what, bottled water is all they drink!!
Water companies aren’t required to specify to consumers if fluoride has been removed from the water. Fluoride supplementation, in all its forms (drinking water, toothpastes, and rinses) is a proven therapy to reduce the harmful effects of acid production that forms in the mouth. My bottom line is that if your bottled water is your only source of fluoride and you aren’t getting any, you may be a much higher risk for tooth decay. This is not an indictment against bottled water (the plastic bottles and its negative impact on the environment is entirely another issue!) But, this IS a “heads-up” for you to make sure you have a proper fluoride supplement if you are only drinking bottled water!