wikipedia

When people these days hear the words “tap water,” most of them tend to cringe. With bottled water’s massive rise in popularity, not many people even consider tap water an option when they are thirsty. But recently many people have started going back to tap water after fluoride was discovered in a wide variety of common bottled water brands. You are definitely going to want to memorize this list!

While fluoride by itself is not bad for you, it’s important to be an educated consumer and know exactly what is in the products that you are eating and drinking.

The United States was the first country to add fluoride to it’s public water system on a large scale, starting in the early 20th century. Fluoride had only recently been linked with dental health, and the government wanted to give it a try.

The dental benefits of fluoride are obvious and effective. Fluoride has been proven to reduce the occurrence of cavities in both children and adults in the United States through multiple studies.

But there are also dangers associated with fluoride that don’t get much attention publicly. While they only occur in rare cases, people have suffered weakened bones, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea from fluoride poisoning. It’s worth noting that this has only occurred in rare cases where the concentration of fluoride in the water became abnormally large due to human error.

It can also causes fluorosis, which goes directly against it’s purported benefits. Fluorosis can cause dark discoloration, increased cavities and deformed enamel of the teeth.

The FDA limits the amount of fluoride that is allowed in bottled water that is sold to the public, but there is a catch to the law. It only regulates fluoride that is added by the company producing the water, not naturally occurring fluoride.

25 percent of bottled water sold to consumers is simply tap water that has been bottled and branded. It is no different than the water that you do your dishes with, yet people pay tons of money each year for this “service.” Any water that comes from the tap is obviously going to contain some fluoride, if that particular area adds fluoride to the drinking water of course.

Fluoride can also simply exist in natural water, and will then make its way into the bottle as well. Many companies do not have a single note about fluoride on their labels, but you can bet that there is fluoride in there.

This list comes from the International Bottled Water Association, but if your favorite water isn’t listed you can always contact the manufacturer.

Deer Park

Belmont Springs

Zephyr Hills

Poland Springs

Mount Olympus

Hinkley Springs

Diamond Springs

Sparkletts Ozarka

Pure Flo

Puritan Springs

Arrowhead

Nursery Water

Crystal Springs

Alhambra Kandiyohi

Certain brands have gone out of their way to show that their water contains no fluoride whatsoever. They are listed below.

Aqua Pure

Polaris Whole

Foods 365

Artesian Wells

Santee Springs

Smartwater

Volvic

San Pellegrino

Deja Blue

Callaway Blue

Appco

Albertson’s

Nantze Springs

Mountain Valley Spring

Evian

The CDC recommends testing your water for fluoride prior to giving it to your children. 2 mg per liter is the maximum amount of fluoride you want to have in any water that your children consume, but it’s safer just to limit the amount of fluoride overall.