Tooth Decay and Health Risks
Seen In Bottled Water

March 21, 2000

• Tests Find Bottled Water No Cleaner Than Tap Water • More Impurities Showing Up In Ground Water, USGS Says • Mayors Douse Bottled Water Spending • Drugs In The Drinking Water: Now What? • Pepsico Concedes Its Bottled Water Comes From the Tap • FDA Repeats Mineral Water Warning • FDA Warns Mineral Water May be Toxic • Bottled Water Linked To Cavities' Comeback • Group Wants Better Oversight of Bottled Water • Tooth Decay and Health Risks Seen In Bottled Water

Need more reasons not to drink bottled water? A recent study in Cleveland found 95 percent of the bottled water tested had fluoride levels that fell short of state guidelines.

The study also echoed earlier research, finding that while municipal tap water had uniformly low bacteria counts, bottled water was highly variable. Of 57 samploes of bottled water, six contained 1000 times more bacteria than tap water and 15 samples contained "significantly" more.

The study was reported in the Annals of Family Medicine.

The addition of fluoride to the public water supply is generally regarded as one of the great public health advances of the latter half of the century. It greatly reduced dental cavities in children and recent studies have shown an improvement in adults' teeth as well. No significant adverse effects have been found.

But today, with the bottled water craze well established, it's estiimated that ten percent of children get most of their water from bottled sources. While some bottled water contains fluoride, bottlers are not required to specify the amount, making it impossible for parents to tell if their children are receiving an adequate supply.

Dental authorities caution that parents shouldn't automatically give their children prescription fluoride supplements, however. Kids may be getting enough fluoride from soft drinks, juice drinks and other beverages bottled with tap water. Rather, parents should consult their dentist for advice.

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