Parents Beware: The Link Between Bottled Water and Tooth Decay

What you may think was safe for your child, can end up costing them their teeth.

Just when you thought you’ve covered all your bases – this article pops up. Did you know that a harmful chemical found in almost every plastic, refillable water bottle and food storage containers are causing premature or unnecessary tooth decay in your child’s teeth? This article is not to discourage you as a parent, but to create an awareness of the harm that BPA can cause to our children and how to avoid it.

A new study by the European Congress of Endocrinology has found that chemicals found in plastics and fungicides may be weakening your child’s teeth by interfering with the hormones that help stimulate dental enamel. When this happens, the tooth loses its protection from physical and chemical damage – making the tooth vulnerable to decay.

Regardless of the role of BPA in creating an epidemic of tooth decay for this next generation, the NIDCR (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) states that 42% of children ages 2-11 have tooth decay in their primary teeth. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates around 17% of children ages 5-18 have untreated tooth decay.

So how do we prevent this from happening to our children?

5 Simple Ways To Prevent BPA Tooth Decay

1. Look for products and plastics labeled ‘BPA-FREE’ when it comes to everything, especially reusable water bottles and lunch boxes.
2. Purchase frozen fruits and veggies if you’re unable to get fresh. Canned items contain levels of BPA.
3. Consider replacing all plastic with glass. There are an array of Mason Jars available in different sizes to meet all of your food storage container needs.
4. Consider going as far as purchasing BPA-FREE toys. Young children love to chew and suck on their new gifts–so make it non-toxic for them.
5. Cook from scratch to limit any packaging that might contaminate already-processed foods.

Do you have a pediatric dentist for the children in your family? Penn Dental Family Practice provides you with over 35 dentists under one roof to take care of every need of your whole family. We provide services in specialties such as:

• General Dentistry
• Invisalign
• Teeth Whitening
• Orthodontics
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Periodontics
• Oral Surgery
• Dental Implants
• Endodontics
• Cosmetic Dentistry
• Prosthodontics

We look forward to serving you, bringing you the quality dental care that you deserve. If you are worried that you or your child may have tooth decay thanks to chemicals in bottled water or other foods, contact Penn Dental Family Practice today at 215-898-PDFP or make an appointment online.

Related Tags: Child Tooth Decay | Bottled Water and Tooth Decay