Does Bottled Water Contain Fluoride?

Fluoride consumption is a topic that is regularly open for heated debate. There are two strong, opposing opinions and seemingly no middle ground. Talk to anyone in the dentistry field and you will be convinced that you absolutely must drink bottled water with fluoride, or all of your teeth will fall out.

Talk to some doctors and health-conscious individuals and you will be convinced that, if you don’t drink fluoride-free bottled water you are going to be poisoned. Every article I read (and there were a lot) offered very compelling evidence supporting the opinion of the author as to whether fluoridated water is a good idea or not. Very few offered information specifically about bottled water though. This article will give you some answers.

Is There Fluoride In Bottled Water?

Some bottled waters do contain fluoride. Fluoride in bottled water either occurs naturally or is added artificially. Artificial fluoride additives are much more dangerous than those that occur naturally. You should check with your supplier or the label to verify the source of fluoride in your water. Bottled water fluoride levels do vary. But, your supplier should know the details about its source.

The CDC recommended maximum amount of fluoride in municipal water is .7 mg/L. According to the City of Cleveland municipal water source analysis, there is 1 mg/L in Cuyahoga County tap water, slightly above the recommended level. For comparison, Distillata spring water has .22mg/L. Spring and mineral water contain the highest levels of fluoride. But, as you can see, Distillata spring water is well below the CDC maximum level and tap water.

Should You Only Drink Fluoride-Free Bottled Water?

If you prefer fluoride-free bottled water there are two options. Purified water does not have fluoride. Purified waters include distilled or reverse osmosis. Again, check the label to make sure artificial fluoride has not been added. The fluoride content of our four different types of water is as follows:

• Artesian Spring Water = .22mg/L naturally occurring fluoride
• Premium Drinking Water = .15mg/L naturally occurring fluoride
• Distilled Water = none
• Reverse Osmosis = none

Distilled water is treated with steam distillation, ozonation, and UV light. This process removes 99% of contaminants, impurities, and dissolved solids. With distilled water, you can enjoy <1PPM of total dissolved solids. The same applies to reverse osmosis water. But, it is treated with membrane filtration, ozonation, and UV light. 

Bottled Water and Fluoride is All About Choice

The choice is yours. With bottled water, you are making a conscious decision based on your interpretation of the evidence as to whether or not to ingest fluoride. If you are unsure, we recommend premium drinking water. It tastes crisp, and it has trace amounts of fluoride well below the CDC maximum levels. 

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