When filling your water bottles, you want to start with clean water that is free of bacteria. Putting contaminated water in your waterlines after you have worked so hard to get them clean is the last thing you want to do.
Commercially bottled water, well water, artisan – Recommended
+ Is the gold standard and regulated by the FDA
+ Has a mineral count that is neither too high nor too low.
+ Tastes better than distilled water, especially when used with tablets or straws.
– Is more expensive than tap water.
Tap water – Recommended
+ Regulated by the EPA – Must be at the passing standard of 500 CFU/mL.
+ Data shows that tap water is effective when used with tablets and iodine-based straws.
– Straws that are silver-based may require commercially bottled water for best results.
In-office filtration systems/centralized systems – Not recommended
+ Centralized systems are designed to remove TDS (total dissolved solids), but not CFU’s.
– We strongly advise against in-office filtration systems and in-office distillers as these systems contain carbon filters,
which are a breeding ground for bacteria
– Most systems store the filtered water in a tank, causing stagnation, which leads to biofilm development.
– If using a filtration system, test water straight from the source at least quarterly and conduct regular maintenance.
– Most dental unit manufacturers do not recommend using distilled, deionized, reverse osmosis, or other ultra-pure
water types because it can be corrosive from long-term use.