We’ve all heard it before, “drink more water”. But what are the benefits of drinking enough water? Is it really that important? Yes, it is! Here we will discuss why water is so essential to our bodies and how it can benefit us in numerous ways.
A cleaner mouth
Water washes away excess food particles, preventing oral bacteria from thriving off of the particles. By washing away food particles, water reduces the risk of cavities and other oral-related problems due to excess oral bacteria and improper brushing.
Fresher breath
Preventing oral bacteria from feeding on excess food particles leads to fresher breath. Bad breath or halitosis is caused by bacteria that lodge in the grooves of the tongue and wedge between the teeth and gums.
Stronger teeth
The year 1945 saw the beginning of water fluoridation in the United States with Grand Rapids, Michigan, the first city in the country, to implement community water fluoridation. Water fluoridation is adjusting the amount of fluoride in a water supply to aid the fight against tooth decay.
Fluoride makes teeth resistant to plaque bacteria and sugars. In fact, drinking water with fluoride makes the teeth stronger and reduces dental costs due to tooth caries.
A moist mouth
Drinking water helps combat dry mouth, a condition where the mouth does not produce enough saliva. Saliva plays a major role in washing away bacteria. By drinking water, it moistens the mouth and encourages the production of saliva.
All About Water
About 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is water. Water is a transparent, nearly colorless chemical substance. It has the chemical formula H2O, meaning that a water molecule contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Water is also vital to all known life forms.
It helps maintain the balance of body fluids, control calories, energize muscles, and hydrate the skin. Water is also essential to the function of the kidneys and bowel movements.
Aside from the benefits above, water is essential to oral health. Drinking H2O gives people a cleaner mouth, fresher breath, stronger teeth, and a moister mouth.
Water is essential to the Earth. In fact, many of its properties are critical for the proliferation of life. History teaches us that civilization began along rivers and major waterways like the Tigris and Euphrates of Mesopotamia, the Nile for the ancient society of Egypt, and the banks of Tiber in Rome.
All known life forms are dependent on water for survival. Humans use it for agriculture, drinking, washing, transportation, chemical use, heat exchange, fire extinction, recreation, business, food processing, among others.
Adding to its long list of benefits, water is also vital to our health, including our oral health.
Yet, despite the recognized ability of H2O to clean our mouth, give us fresher breath and stronger teeth, and moisten our mouth, water is not a replacement to basic oral hygiene. Along with water, brush and floss daily. Likewise, visit your dentist twice a year, and eat healthy for the achievement of a better smile and healthier mouth.
Hawaii’s Water Remains Un-Fluoridated
An alarming prevalence of tooth decay continues to plague keiki. The oral health report sponsored by the State Health Department has shown 71 percent of tooth decay prevalence among children. This is higher by 19 percent than the national average of 52 percent. Even worse, it is the highest among all 50 states. The report screened 3,184 third graders in 67 public schools and found that seven in every ten children have tooth decay.
In 2012, Hawaii had more than 3,000 emergency room visits due to preventable dental problems. Unfortunately, this is a 67 percent increase from 2006. The number is also 22 percent higher than the rest of the country from 2006 to 2009.
The alarming figures suggest the need for more primary prevention programs in Hawaii. This may include dental education, the use of dental sealants, and topical fluoride applications. Dr. Steve Wilhite, former president of Hawaii Dental Association, said the incidents of tooth decay and other avertible dental diseases could have been prevented by 50 percent within about 10 years if the only fluoride was part of the water system.
The use of fluoride for teeth protection and as a means to combat decay has been extensively endorsed by health agencies. This includes the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Dental Association.
As nature’s cavity fighter, fluoride provides the teeth necessary protection against plaque bacteria and sugars. The naturally-occurring compound is vital in the remineralization of the enamel.
Fluoride helps strengthen the teeth from the wear caused by acid attacks from the sugar we consume. Still, Hawaii has resisted fluoridating its community water. Yet, this is a practice that is common across the United States since Grand Rapids, Michigan started it in 1945.
Only 11 percent of the state’s community water system is fluoridated. This means that only 159,935 residents out of 1,419,516 people served by the water system receive fluoridated water. The percentage is considerably lower to the national figure of 75 percent.
Aside from military properties, no single Hawaii county fluoridates its drinking water. Honolulu City Council even passed an ordinance in 2004 to ban the fluoridation of Oahu public system. Before that, Lanai Water Co. has decided against fluoridating the island’s water supply in 2002.
Health reports sponsored by the State Health Department promote the benefits of water fluoridation and other fluorides for the reduction of dental diseases. But some residents, including Honolulu City Council member Ann Kobayashi who favored the banning of fluoridated water from Oahu’s public system in 2004, are against fluoridation.
According to them, the compound has killed houseplants and koi and causes serious health ailments. However, these are claims with scant evidence.
American Dental Association President Dr. Maxine Feinberg contested these claims. He says that water fluoridation is effective and safe. In fact, it has been validated by tens of millions of people since 1945 in Grand Rapids.
Drinking fluoridated water reduces the prevalence of dental caries by 20 to 40 percent. Additionally, it can prevent tooth loss and infection, improve oral health, and help reduce costs of dental treatments due to tooth decay.
The National Cancer Institute has also rejected claims that water fluoridation can lead to cancer, citing that there’s lack of evidence. Still, despite the benefits of fluoride, the Aloha State remains unyielding in its stance to funnel the cavity-fighting compound into its community water systems.
For Kobayashi, she believes people the state should not force people to consume fluoridated water. “You can always add it by getting fluoride drops and adding it your drinking water,” she says. 12 years ago, she voted against water fluoridation.
On the other hand, State Senator Karl Rhoads believes it should be the other way around. Rhoads believes those against it should go and buy un-fluoridated water — adding that scientific evidence supporting the cost-effectiveness and safety of fluoridated water is overwhelming.
Another concern of critics of water fluoridation is the costs. Honolulu’s Board of Water Supply in 2015 estimated the initial capital investment of fluoridating Honolulu’s water system at 15 million US dollars. Additionally, it would have a 2.7 million US dollar annual operating cost.
To fluoridate the community water system, the Board must install equipment at more than 190 facilities across the state. Continuous monitoring will also be implanted as an accidental over-dosage of fluoride could mottle the teeth. And for Senator Rosalyn Baker, the chair of the Commerce Consumer Protection and Health Committee, water fluoridation is not going to happen unless there is convincing evidence that it is the sole way to attain good oral health.
History of Fluoridated Water
In the 1940s, scientists found out that people living in areas where drinking water had naturally-occurring fluoride had lower incidents of dental caries. By 1945, water fluoridation in the US began with Grand Rapids, Michigan adjusting the fluoride content of its water supply to 1.0 ppm. The city became the first place in the country to implement community water fluoridation. By 2014, over 66 percent of the country’s total population were receiving fluoridated water.
Benefits of Fluoridated Water
Drinking fluoridated water is beneficial. In fact, it reduces dental costs caused by tooth decays, lessens the percentage of dental caries by 20 to 40 percent, and prevents tooth loss and infection. That said, water with fluoride can generally improve overall oral health. Among the 66 percent who receive fluoridated water, 74 percent benefit from community water fluoridation.
Community water fluoridation is valuable because it promotes health for its members. It is also cost-effective and equitable. ADA urges communities to continue fluoridating water at recommended levels. After all, this is one of the most effective and least-costly ways to boost the public’s oral health.
Where Can I Get Fluoride?
Fluoride treatments are available and come in various types.
Toothpaste usually contains fluoride. Yet, toothpaste has a lower amount of fluoride than the level prescribed by dentists.
Fluoride gels are also accessible over-the-counter. A higher dose of the gels may be acquired with a dentist’s prescription. This type of fluoride treatment uses a tray and is applied with a mouth guard. Another type of treatment available is fluoride varnish. Varnish can be applied manually, brushed onto teeth. After application, eating and drinking must be avoided for 30 minutes. You can always inquire with your dentist for the treatment most suitable for your needs.
But fortunately, you might be able to avoid the cost of fluoride treatments. Since fluoride is a naturally-occurring compound, it is present just about anywhere, especially in food and water.
