Dental News - Drinking tap water with high iron content may stain teeth

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 8. February 2019

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MONCADA, Spain: Researchers have found three factors, namely the consumption of water with a high iron content or a high pH level, as well as having a high salivary pH level, are associated with the presence of black stains on supragingival dental plaque. While smoking, taking iron supplements or consuming caffeinated drinks were not found to be risk factors, the main modifiable risk factor identified in this study was the consumption of tap or osmosis drinking water.

In the study, the Oral Microbiology Group of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University (UCH) analysed data collected from 94 patients from ten dental clinics in the provinces of Valencia and Castellón. By using questionnaires, the researchers assessed the participants’ oral hygiene habits, such as the type of toothbrushes they use, their brushing frequency and their eating habits, such as snacking between meals, drinking bottled or tap water, smoking or regularly consuming caffeinated beverages. The participants’ general oral health status was analysed by assessing the number of decayed, missing or sealed teeth of each participant and the presence or lack of periodontitis or bleeding gums. Furthermore, the researchers took samples of dental plaque, saliva and drinking water for chemical analysis.

According to Verónica Veses Jimenez, director of the CEU UCH’s Department of Biomedical Sciences, the regular consumption of water with high pH and iron levels or having high salivary pH levels contribute greatly to the emergence of black stains. That is why one of the main recommendations for people who have black stains on their teeth is to drink mineral water instead of tap or osmosed water, Jimenez said.

Consuming tap or osmosis-purified water increased the odds of suffering from black stains by 13 times. In relation to a high pH range for saliva, the researchers concluded that the habit of snacking between meals can decrease the appearance of black stains, as it helps lower the pH level of saliva.

The study ruled out factors such as the influence of tobacco, iron supplements, the consumption of caffeinated drinks and oral hygiene habits. According to Veses Jimenez, since these stains are iron-based, their presence is more directly related to high iron and pH levels, both in saliva and in the water that is consumed, than oral hygiene habits.

In light of the results, patients with black stains should be advised to switch to mineral water to reduce the risk of their reappearance following dental prophylaxis.

The study, titled “Risk factors for the presence of dental black plaque”, was published online in the November 2018 issue of the Scientific Reports journal.

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