Drink tap water not bottled water to beat tooth decay
14 August 2002
The trend towards drinking bottled water not tap water is reversing the good done by the introduction of fluoride into the mains water supply 30 years ago.
Adding fluoride into the mains water supply in Australia has been credited with creating an entire generation of young people with far better teeth than any of their ancestors.
According to the Australian Dental Association, drinking tap water is still one of the most effective ways of preventing tooth decay.
Chairman of the Australian Dental Association’s Oral Health Education Committee, Dr Don Wilson said, ‘There are fewer cavities and fillings in children living in fluoridated compared to non-fluoridated areas.’
‘The use of fluoridated toothpaste and the fluoridation of tap water remain central to the prevention of dental decay.’
Dr Wilson said many young people who were born after the introduction of fluoride in the 1960s and 1970s took their dental health for granted and were not being as vigilant as their parents in ensuring that their own children are exposed to fluoridated water.
‘Fluoride is a naturally occurring compound found in many foods and naturally in water, and can be taken in other forms such as through fluoride toothpaste, but scientific studies have shown a substantial benefit from water fluoridation in Australia,’ Dr Wilson said.
Last Reviewed: 13 August 2002
