Sources of Drinking Water in a Pediatric Population

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the primary sources of water used for consumption and cooking by the patients of a university-based pediatric dental practice. Methods: A simple, prewritten questionnaire—consisting of seven questions and available in English and Spanish—was conducted verbally with the caregivers of 123 pediatric patients during a designated timeframe. Analysis of responses included descriptive statistics and a chi-square test for a single proportion. Results: Nonfiltered tap water accounted for the primary drinking water source in only 10 percent of the respondents. Firty-two percent of the respondents selected bottled water as the primary source of drinking water, and 24 percent selected vended water stations as a primary drinking water source. Nonfiltered tap water was much more likely to be utilized in cooking (58 percent). Conclusions: The majority of the patients in this study's pediatric dental practice do not consume fluoridated tap water. With the vast majority of the patients primarily consuming bottled or vended water, these patients are likely missing out on the caries-protective effects of water fluoridation.