The Facts about Bottled Water

The Facts about Bottled Water

The human body is made up mostly of water and depends on water to keep organs
and systems functioning properly. Water regulates body temperature, helps remove
waste, cushions the joints and transports nutrients and oxygen to billions of
cells. Increasing water intake sometimes can help alleviate a condition called
dry mouth, or xerostomia. And water that contains an adequate amount of fluoride
helps prevent tooth decay and builds strong teeth.

Health experts generally recommend
consuming eight to 10 cups of water a day. The amount may vary based on body
size, physical activity and exposure to hot weather.

More health-conscious consumers are sipping bottled water. Some even forgo
fluoridated tap water in their homes for costly bottled water. A recent study
shows that Americans consumed more than 5 billion gallons of bottled water in
2000, more than double the amount from a decade earlier. Some predict that
bottled water soon may become the nation's second most popular beverage after
soft drinks.

If bottled water is your main source of drinking water, you could be missing
the decay-preventive benefits of fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral that
helps prevent tooth decay.

Water fluoridation is a community health measure that is recognized widely
for its role in fluoride occurs in water below the optimal level, preventing
tooth decay. In areas where natural many communities add a minute amount of
fluoride to the water supply to make certain that residents receive the benefits
of fluoride.

While the fluoride content of bottled water varies greatly, the vast majority
of bottled water varies greatly, the vast majority of bottled waters do not
contain optimal levels of fluoride. Some contain no fluoride. When water is
treated before it is bottled, fluoride may be lost. For example, many popular
brands of bottled water undergo reverse osmosis or distillation. These
treatments remove all of the fluoride from the water.

How can you make sure you and your family - especially children-are getting
the right amount of fluoride protection in bottled water? Check the label for
fluoride content. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's current regulations do
not require bottled water companies to indicate fluoride content on bottled
water labels, unless it has been added to the water.

Contact the company if the fluoride content is not shown on the label and ask
what level of fluoride the water contains. Amounts of fluoride are the same
whether they are reported in parts per million or milligrams per liter. To help
prevent tooth decay, water should contain 0.7 to 1.2 ppm of fluoride. One ppm is
equal to 1 mg/L. Consider:

• How much bottled water do you (or family members) consume each day?
  
• Is bottled water also used for meal preparation and added to canned or
  powdered soups, juices and other drinks?
  
• Is another source of drinking water used during the day, such as an
  optimally fluoridated community water supply at day care, school or work?
  

Don't overlook your home water treatment systems, such as reverse osmosis and
distillation units, which may remove the fluoride from water supplies. It's a
good idea to look at the manual for these devices or to contact the manufacturer
if you can't determine their effect on fluoride levels.

Prepared by the ADA Division of Communications, in cooperation with The
Journal of the American Dental Association. Unlike other portions of JADA, this
page may be clipped and copied as a handout for patients, without first
obtaining reprint permission from the ADA Publishing Division. Any other use,
copying or distribution, whether in printed or electronic form, is strictly
prohibited without prior written consent of the ADA Publishing Division.