LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Summer has arrived; are you drinking enough water? Drinking water is essential to maintaining health and equally important for preserving teeth.
The recommended amount of water is eight cups daily, but does it matter if it's tap or bottled water? It can, especially for people at a higher risk of getting cavities.
Tap water contains fluoride, a key factor in the prevention of dental decay. Drinking tap water provides systemic fluoride for developing teeth and topical fluoride for mature teeth. To prevent decay, tap water should contain 0.7 - 1.2mg/L of fluoride; however, fluoride can be filtered out by home filtering systems or bottled water companies.
Regulations for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration do not require bottled water companies to identify fluoride content. If the fluoride content is not displayed on the label, contact the company for more information.
Fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay and is an excellent choice over bottled water for better oral health. It is important for to find out community fluoride levels as they may vary. (Fluoride levels at Langley Air Force Base are monitored and fall within the optimal levels.)
For more information about community fluoride levels, visit:
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/MWF/Index.asp.