We have all heard the benefits of drinking water to our muscles, brain, or bones, but have you ever considered the benefits to your oral health? Fluoride is a natural mineral which can be found in food and water. Fluoride in drinking water has become one of the most helpful ways in reducing tooth decay over the last several decades. It helps prevent cavities by helping with the hardening of enamel in baby and adult teeth.
Fluoridation in community water systems is a safe and easy way to improve the oral health of millions of people. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proclaimed community water fluoridation as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.” There are communities with no fluoridation systems; however, your dentist can give you information on ways to add fluoride to your daily routine. You should check with the local water district to see if your water supply is fluoridated as fluoridation is essential to the prevention of tooth decay. In fact, a lifetime of water that has been fluoridated cost less than a single dental filling.
To add to the long list of all the ways water is beneficial to your body, now you can think about the benefits to your teeth when you take drink. “Today, studies prove water fluoridation continues to be effective in reducing tooth decay by 20 – 40%, even in an era with widespread availability of fluoride from other sources, such as fluoride toothpaste.” Just by drinking water, you are giving your teeth the single most important way to fighting tooth decay!
http://www.ada.org/fluoride.aspx
Picture- www.kidshealth.org