By now, you’re probably aware that drinking soda and even fruit juice can affect your dental health. It makes sense after all, considering they each contain high sugar levels. But what about water?
Yes, even water–our (often) trusty and reliable friend–can have surprising effects on your teeth. Between bottled water, filtered tap water, straight tap water, and distilled water, it turns out that not all water treats your pearly whites the same way.
Bottled Water
People often rely on bottled water as the epitome of clean, risk-free drinking water. However, as it turns out, FDA standards for bottled water aren’t very strict. In fact, once the seal is broken, bottled water can become susceptible to bacteria.
In addition, bottled water often lacks fluoride, which is essential to keeping a healthy smile.
Filtered Tap Water
If you drink straight from the faucet, you’re probably drinking through an attached filter. However, this may be removing fluoride as well as other important compounds found in tap water that help keep your smile strong.
Straight Tap Water
The Environmental Protection Agency has determined that straight tap water contains the proper chemicals, vitamins, and minerals that keep both your water and you healthy.
If you’re like the majority of Americans, you’re probably wary about possible contaminants in your drinking water. As it turns out, most towns and cities actually offer safe-for-drinking tap water that provides you with proper vitamins and minerals without negative side effects to your health.
Distilled Water
If you want what many consider to be the “purest” water, you may opt for distilled water, which you can often buy in jugs. Although distilled water doesn’t negatively effect your teeth, it also won’t provide the fluoride your smile needs to stay healthy.
Overall, drinking enough water is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy. If you have any questions about the effects of drinking these different types of water, don’t hesitate to ask your dentist.