“5 Mistakes That Put Your Mouth at Risk for Cavities”

A Yahoo! Health article this week discusses some missteps you can avoid for keeping the healthiest teeth. Tip number 2 shows the importance of community water fluoridation:

Yeah, we know. You thought your plastic habit was super healthy. And it’s way better than having sugary and acidic drinks. But if your community has a fluoridated water supply and you never drink from it, you could be doing yourself a disservice, says David Dowsett, a family dentist based in Portland, Ore. That’s because fluoride, a mineral that can prevent and even reverse tooth decay, may not be found in all bottled water, or bottled water may contain only miniscule amounts, according to the CDC. That said, 73.9 percent of the current U.S. population has access to regular water that has enough fluoride to protect teeth. “Fluoride is not just for kids,” says R. H. Price, a dentist and American Dental Association (ADA) spokesperson in Newton, Mass., so make sure your toothpaste also contains fluoride. Then try tap water: You may like it.

Read the whole article here: http://health.yahoo.net/articles/oral-care/photos/5-mistakes-put-your-mouth-risk-cavities#1