Health Matters: Bottled water bad for teeth

Hyderabad: Recent studies suggest that it is not only carbonated drinks that could cause tooth decay but bottled water as well. This is because bottled water brands do not maintain the required pH (Potential for Hydrogen) value of water. 

Dr Prasad Mehta, a dentist, says, “The required pH level for drinking water is 7. But we often hear of bottled drinking water with a pH of 4, which makes it acidic and just as bad as carbonated drinks. The acidic properties will react with the enamel that has calcium hydroxylapatite. It will break the same, causing damage to the enamel, which is the strongest part of the body, thereby attracting surrounding organisms to cause further damage to the teeth like cavities. Acidic properties can also cause gastritis which produces acid that can erode teeth.”

He says a pH value of more than 7 causes the water to be alkaline and this too is bad. 

A pH value of 7 means a substance is neutral. A lower value indicates acidity and a higher value is a sign of alkalinity.

The lack of fluoride in bottled water also causes problems in the development of teeth during the growing years.

Dr Srikanth A, secretary of the Indian Dental Association, says, “There is a preconceived notion that anything packed is good. Many types of bottled water have added minerals etc, which makes it obvious that the pH levels have been altered. Both an excess of fluoride and a lack of it leads to brittle teeth.”

Medical experts want the government to pass an order making it compulsory to state the pH value of the bottled water on the label.

Excessive alkalinity gives water a bitter taste, while if the water is more acidic it will have a sour metallic taste. 

Dentist Dr Priya Darshini, says, “I would recommend Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants for drinking water, like the ones kept in educational institutions and other places, more than bottled water. A simple litmus paper test can tell you the pH level of your drinking water. We should take care of the water we drink as it is an everyday need and once the enamel is  affected, the tooth will erode slowly.”