Fluoride in still bottled water in Australia

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Concerns exist regarding increasing childhood dental decay rates potentially linked to bottled water consumption.
• Limited data is available on fluoride levels in still bottled water sold in Australia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify fluoride concentrations in a diverse range of still bottled waters available in Australia.
• To assess the potential dental health benefits of bottled water based on fluoride content.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 300 samples from 100 different brands of still bottled water purchased in Australia.
• Utilisation of ion chromatography and an ion-selective electrode method for precise fluoride measurement.

Main Results:

• Fluoride levels varied significantly, ranging from below 0.1 mg/L to 1.6 mg/L.
• Only 9% of samples contained fluoride within the optimal range for dental health benefits (0.6-1.0 mg/L).
• The vast majority (91%) of bottled waters contained less than 0.6 mg/L of fluoride.

Conclusions:

• Findings highlight the generally low fluoride content in Australian bottled waters.
• This data is vital for consumers, particularly those relying on bottled water and lacking access to fluoridated community water supplies.