It’s not summer without cool, clear, refreshing water. But it goes beyond being fun to swim in, refreshing after exercise, and vital to the health of our gardens. Did you know plain old tap water also helps prevent cavities? It’s true. In 1945, community water in the US was fluoridated, enabling people of all ages–including very young children–to enjoy the benefits of safe and healthy fluoride, a proven method of protecting teeth from cavities. Tooth decay hurts, affecting a child’s ability to eat, talk, speak, learn, grow, smile, and reach important developmental milestones. Good old-fashioned tap water can help.
According to Gary Rozier, DDS, Professor Emeritus of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, drinking water straight from the tap is important to a child’s overall good health. “A study published in the journal Pediatrics in September 2014 reported that the prevalence of obesity in 6-year-old children was twice as great among children who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages during infancy compared to those who didn’t (17.0% vs 8.6%).
“Because the most common chronic disease in preschool children is tooth decay (more common than asthma), with approximately one-third of NC children experiencing it by the time they enroll in kindergarten, substituting water for sugar-sweetened beverages can not only cut empty calories, but also reduce tooth decay by eliminating the sugar that leads to dental problems.
“Water also is healthy and can actually protect the teeth from decay. Most public water systems in North Carolina have fluoride added, per CDC recommendations. About 88% of North Carolinians using community water systems (6.2 million people) have access to fluoridated water. Simply by drinking water from the tap, most North Carolinians can help prevent tooth decay at no added expense by about 25% over a lifetime.
“Some children might not be getting enough fluoride because their home drinking water is not fluoridated; it’s well water. Some people also like to substitute bottled water for tap water. Most bottled water does not have fluoride. So, our recommendation is to drink more water out of the tap and not the bottle. It’s affordable and helps fight tooth decay thanks to fluoride.”
For more about bottled water, click here.
