Checking back on the source, the CDC finds that the 2 to 5 year olds had slightly increased cavities. From the story Lawyer Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation says, “Recent news reports claiming fluoride-free bottled water caused the cavity increase trends in toddlers are implausible because rising fluorosis rates clearly indicate that children are over-fluoridated, not under-fluoridated.”
(translation)[we don’t think the lack of flouride in bottled water is the cause since more cities are putting flouride in city drinking water.] ??????
Fluoridated water makes no difference in tooth decay rates; but income does. The study that found an increase in toddlers decay rates actually shows that low-income toddlers decay rates have spiked upwards and non-poor toddlers decay rates remained stable. In fact, non-poor 3 and 4 year old’s decay actually improved. Obviously, low-income toddlers are less likely to drink bottled water than non-poor toddlers.
It is actually more scientifically plausible to conclude that avoiding fluoridated water reduces tooth decay, based on the information provided in this study.