Something many consume everyday and once considered to be healthy and of no harm is now believed to be the culprit for the rise of tooth decay found in both adults and children. Tooth decay and cavity rates, for the first time in decades, are up and on the rise. Patients who at one point in time were not thought to be cavity-prone, interestingly are now appearing in their dentists’ chair with tooth decay that is affecting their crowns and fillings. It is also surprising that tooth decay is being discovered on teeth that were otherwise thought to be healthy. In the past this was thought to be pretty rare.
Can you guess the cause? It is something you probably wouldn’t even consider because you may have come to think of it as harmless as breathing fresh air.
The culprit, believe it or not, is bottled water. While you may already know that sports drinks and soft drinks loaded with sugar can lead to a dental nightmare, you may not realize that bottled water is just like tap water in that it does not contain fluoride.
So why should you care? According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), many children and adults are consuming more and more bottled water as part of their regular diets and the concern is that many are not consuming enough fluoride. Did you know, according to the International Bottled Water Association, that the amount of bottled water consumed has recently more than doubled? On average, Americans are now drinking thirty gallons of bottled water each year. Many are fooled into believing that bottled water is healthier and they are making it a main stay in their daily diets for family including their children. What is even more concerning is the fact that some parents are using bottled water to prepare their baby’s formula.
What can you do about this? Allen Park Dentists Drs. Greg and Joanne Szalai suggest that you make a few simple changes to your daily habits and try to drink tap water as often as you can instead of bottled water. You will improve your overall oral health, you’ll save money and your teeth will love you for it. This suggestion is not a replacement for basic oral hygiene but should be done in addition to your normal care, which includes brushing regularly with toothpaste that contains fluoride and finishing off with flossing.
If you are not sure that you are getting the proper level of fluoride, perhaps due to the fact that your water source does not contain fluoride (for example well water), Allen Park Dentists Drs. Greg and Joanne Szalai invite you to come in for a visit. We have several recommendations such as special rinses or prescription fluoride treatments that can help you get the level of fluoride you need to prevent cavities.
Ready to discuss your dental care with a caring and highly skilled dental team? Allen Park Dentists Drs. Joanne or Greg Szalai, or one of their fantastic hygienists (Ann, Jennifer and CJ) will gladly answer your questions.
Please call our Allen Park office at 313-928-2323 to schedule an appointment for exceptional dental care. Your comments are important to us so don’t hesitate to share your comments or suggestions on our Facebook Fan Page or via Twitter.
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