In the 90s, there was backlash against egg yolks for their high cholesterol contents. Now it’s been proven that the yolk is the healthier half of the egg, with such a dense concentration of nutrients, it beats out your daily multivitamin. More recently, gluten has been attacked as a weight-gain culprit, leading many to switch to gluten-free diets.

But of course, a gluten free cake can do the same damage to your diet as a regular cake, especially when you eat the whole thing. Currently, there is a new debate surrounding an already controversial commodity: bottled water.

Bottled water and tooth decay

In the last few days, many stories have been released linking bottled water to tooth decay. A number of dentists have noticed their younger patients (14 and below) coming in with more cavities. This is surprising, considering the availability of fluoride-enhanced toothpastes, mouthwashes, and even chewing gums. These doctors inquiries have led to an interesting hypothesis: because most bottled-water brands filter out fluoride, those drinking bottled water may not be getting enough fluoride to protect their teeth.

Bottled water is now a staple in American homes and grocery stores. It’s convenient, many prefer its taste and smell (very sharp palates, these water connoisseurs), and others fear contaminated tap water. These parties believe the availability and preference of bottled and filtered water have decreased children’s consumptions of fluoride, which is causing more cavities. So should we switch back to tap water?

Not exactly. Several other sources claim that tap water erodes tooth enamel.

The experts weigh in

Before you rush to the nearest state park to stock up on natural spring water, wait for an official spokesperson to weigh in. In response to these anti-bottled water arguments, the American Dental Association released the following statement: “There has been no research to show using bottled water causes tooth decay.”

The lesson here is the age-old adage: look before you leap. Aside from certain truths (tanning beds and smoking packs of cigarettes a day are terrible life decisions), many “bad for you” practices require further study. If you’ve previously suffered from tooth decay and are looking to trade in your dental scrap, make sure you use a trusted source, like CashforDentalScrap.com.