title: Sources of drinking water in a pediatric population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
authors.affiliation: Private practice, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Urvi G
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Jadav
authors.affiliation: University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Bhavini S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.affiliation: University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Gisela M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Velasquez
authors.affiliation: University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Bradley J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Vance
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, at the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Tate
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics, at the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA. ryan.quock@uth.tmc.edu-business.
authors.forename: Ryan L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Quock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003296:Cooking; D060766:Drinking Water; D005457:Fluoridation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D013781:Texas; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water