Did you know that bottled water is the world’s fastest-selling product? The amount of bottled water consumption in America calculated about 50 million bottles used last year. As generations have gone by, many people have made the change of switching from community tap water to bottled water. What people don’t know is there are different substances both tap water and bottled water have.

One main substance is Fluoride. Some may ask, what is Fluoride and how does it benefit you? Well, Fluoride is a natural mineral found throughout the earth’s crust and is widely distributed in nature. You can find Fluoride in water and also in food supplies. Fluoride is beneficial for your children because it strengthens their tooth enamel and reduces tooth decay. Most of Maryland’s tap water has Fluoride, depending on the county you live in.

Our friends over at the American Dental Association studied the positive effects of fluoride in the water system, stating that “Fluoride in community water systems prevents at least 25 percent of tooth decay in children and adults.” Fluoride is mostly found in your community water, and less likely to be found in bottled water. Most bottled water contains Bisphenol A (BPA), which is a chemical that is used to form to make plastic, making it hard and clear. This type of chemical has been proven to be hazardous to human health.

Many parents find that bottled water is safer to drink than tap water, but that is not necessarily true. When drinking bottled water, you are actually drinking tap water that may or may not have been purified. If your children are drinking fluoridated tap water they are supplying their pearly white teeth with a cavity-fighting supplement, as well as reducing the amount of time spent at the dentist.

Do you have any additional questions about the effects of drinking bottled water? Please contact our office by calling 240-752-8822 and speaking to one of our pediatric dentists. We can also aid you in scheduling an appointment.