Drinking water

[babyfiorina1]

Our ped has been recommending us to give DD our regular tap water (which is city water) because of fluoride content in unfiltered water for her teeth development. I shared with the peds that my husband and I have always been drinking filtered water and we were uncomfortable with giving her unfiltered water. I always thought that unfiltered water contain more "chemicals" and my concern is mainly on safety levels. But the peds shared with us that the city water was safe enough to drink, it's just a matter of taste preference.

Somehow, I don't know why I just am not convinced yet, but at the same time I don't want to be depriving our now 15-month old DD of fluoride. I know she doesn't need it in huge amount, but since the city water has it, should I go ahead and give her city water ? Maybe I'm just being too paranoid ? What do you guys give your babies/toddlers ? TIA.

[Giantbear]

I have always drunk tap water unfiltered. The only reason i drink filtered now is that i do not like the taste of the tap water where i now live.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Can you buy water that has added fluoride but otherwise filtered?

We use plain old tap water here though.

[daisymommy]

Here I go (ducking)...
I would avoid flouride myself if I could. I can't wait to have the money to replace our reverse osmosis filter that removes flouride. Flouride was never meant to be ingested (drank) into our bodies. And safety levels were set for adults, not children, certainly not infants. And guess what? Studies show that many cities have flouride levels that are way too high, and need to be drastically cut down. There are health and safety risks to consuming flouride (though most doctors and dentists don't believe this).

So, yes, I would give her at least filtered water (which by the way, does not remove flouride, not sure if you knew that), or bottled spring water.

Don't feel bad and think she "needs" flouride at her age. To the contrary.

Do a search for Xylitol in the Lounge, and you'll see some discussions on this ingredient in toothpaste that many of us use in place of flouride to prevent cavities.

[Katigre]

Our Brita filter does not remove fluoride, but it does remove other chemicals in city drinking water i'm not comfortable with .

[smiles33]

As PP have stated, you can give filtered TAP water if you want your DC to have fluoride. If you buy the filtered spring water/bottled water, it probably doesn't have fluoride (unless the bottler just filtered tap water!).

I don't know what the scientific proof is re: fluoride per daisymommy's statements, but I do know DH (who is an orthodontist and has professional training re: teeth) bought fluoridated drinking water for our girls when I refused to give them tap water. It was important enough to him that I deferred on the issue. I'm sure he tried to explain it, but I frankly don't remember any of the justification for fluoride. I lack his experience/insight so I can't agree with or refute daisymommy's statements.

[sntm]

Fluoride is very important for protecting teeth but works topically. The issues that arise with fluoridated water is that the exposure to teeth comes when you drink it, but then you ingest it. Ideally, everyone would just use fluoridated toothpaste or treatments and spit it out, but that leaves huge populations of people who don't/can't/won't and so from a public health standpoint, it has made since to fluoridate the water for the greater good.

If you use fluoridated toothpaste and get regular treatments at your dentist, fluoridated water is probably unimportant at best.

[baboki]

Originally Posted by daisymommy

Here I go (ducking)...
I would avoid flouride myself if I could. I can't wait to have the money to replace our reverse osmosis filter that removes flouride. Flouride was never meant to be ingested (drank) into our bodies. And safety levels were set for adults, not children, certainly not infants. And guess what? Studies show that many cities have flouride levels that are way too high, and need to be drastically cut down. There are health and safety risks to consuming flouride (though most doctors and dentists don't believe this).

So, yes, I would give her at least filtered water (which by the way, does not remove flouride, not sure if you knew that), or bottled spring water.

Don't feel bad and think she "needs" flouride at her age. To the contrary.

Do a search for Xylitol in the Lounge, and you'll see some discussions on this ingredient in toothpaste that many of us use in place of flouride to prevent cavities.

Exactly.

[wellyes]

The filters improve the taste of the water, not the safety.

Tap water is just as safe. Don't let their marketing fool you into thinking otherwise....the filter advertisers are the only ones who say it's safer, not doctors or scientists. (The exception is if you have well water or have old lead pipes).

[trcy]

Originally Posted by Katigre

Our Brita filter does not remove fluoride, but it does remove other chemicals in city drinking water i'm not comfortable with .

I think it also tastes better