Our bodies are 80% water, making adequate water consumption throughout each day important. When not enough water is consumed, we get dry mouths, headaches, muscle cramps, brain fog, nausea, and fatigue. When we don't drink enough water when it is hot or during exercise, there is a risk of potentially deadly heatstroke.
Dehydration or the lack of water consumption can negatively affect the internal organs of the body, the skin, one's oral health, and one's mood.
Doctors and dentists encourage patients to drink eight glasses of water each day. These 72 ounces, however, is significantly more than what the average person drinks daily.
In the U.S. more than 72% of its residents have small levels of fluoride in tap water.
Fluoride has been added to the general water supply in the U.S. since the 1930s. It has been shown that fluoride plays an important role in strengthening and re-mineralizing tooth enamel. Dating back to before the 1930s, studies have shown that people who drink fluoridated tap water had a significantly lower incidence of getting cavities than those who didn't.
Stronger, healthier teeth result in fewer oral health issues which save patients money of dental treatment costs, improves their overall quality of life, and saves them time away from the dental office for additional dental treatments.
Fluoride is one of the most abundant elements found in nature, mainly in soil, certain foods, and in water.
The element can create health issues such as dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis when too much fluoride is consumed.
These cases are rare in the U.S. where the amount of fluoride in the drinking water is far below that which makes it hazardous. The amount of fluoride in tap water is only between.3 and.01 parts per million. The recommended amount is between 1.2 and.7 parts per million.
Why Fluoride in Water is Necessary
It may seem odd that drinking water has a potentially dangerous element in it. The levels of fluoride in drinking water, however, is safe, even for young children and the elderly.
With the improved access to dental care and personal oral hygiene products, it may not make complete sense to continue to fortify tap water with fluoride.
Unfortunately, not everyone follows proper, adequate oral hygiene, and dental care. It is easy to relax on one's at-home oral health routine and "miss" those regular, recommended six-month visits to the dentist's office.
Fluoride in the water is easy and effortlessly help support the development and maintenance of teeth.
Fluoride in drinking water is optimal for proper teeth development for babies and young children as well as adults who have or had the following:
- Snack consistently throughout the day
- Practice poor dental hygiene
- Have no or limited access to a dentist
- Have diets high in sugars or carbohydrates
- Have had dental restoration procedures such as bridges, crowns, and braces
- Have a history of tooth decay (cavities)
Fluoride is a natural element found abundantly in nature. Because of its ability to re-mineralize and strengthen teeth, fluoride has been added to water since the 1930s. The level of fluoride in drinking water is significantly below hazardous levels. Fluoride in water is beneficial for everybody, especially young children and adults with less than sufficient oral hygiene and care routines. The level of fluoride in tap water is safe for both children and adults.
Drinking plenty of water is beneficial to one's body and health as well as mood and dental health. Water has no cavity-causing sugars or carbohydrates and is fortified with teeth boosting fluoride