ATLANTA, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ — In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month in February, more than 6,400 members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) will kick off a national campaign in partnership with Spring!(TM) by Dannon(R) Fluoride to Go(TM) to help focus attention on the importance of drinking water with fluoride for children.

Today, dental decay is still one of the most common childhood diseases — five times as common as asthma in 5-17-year-olds.(1) It affects more than one fifth of American children aged 2-4, half of those aged 6-8 and nearly 60 percent of those aged 15.(2) The awareness campaign recognizes that children in the United States may not be getting enough fluoride to fight preventable tooth decay due to the dramatic rise in consumption of bottled waters,(3) and the fact that 40 percent of children do not have optimal levels of fluoride in their local water supply.(4)

“Drinking water with fluoride is still the easiest and most effective way to fight tooth decay,” said AAPD president Dr. H. Pitts Hinson. “In fact, water fluoridation can prevent up to 40 percent of tooth decay,(5) which can translate into significant financial savings in dental expenses and a lifetime of maintenance. Spring! by Dannon Fluoridated Spring Water contains our recommended level of fluoride, making it easy for parents to give their kids the right amount to beat tooth decay. It also offers those parents living in low-fluoridated communities an alternative to fluoride supplements.”

“Parents who prefer bottled spring water to keep their kids healthy and hydrated now can choose the convenience of bottled water, confident that they are also providing essential fluoride,” said Deb Roberts, senior brand manager, Spring! by Dannon. “Our Fluoride to Go bottles are kid-sized and clearly marked with fluoride levels to help parents ensure their kids are getting the right amount to keep teeth strong and healthy.”

The national awareness campaign will start with the distribution of educational activity books at pediatric dental offices and clinics nationwide. Parents and children will receive information about the importance of fluoride in their fight against cavities. A Spring! by Dannon product coupon will also be included. Spring! by Dannon Fluoride to Go is an easy and fun way to help youth drink more water and get the recommended level of fluoride. For further information about the Spring! by Dannon Fluoride to Go and AAPD fluoride education campaign and tips on how to prevent tooth decay, visit http://www.aapd.org.

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About Spring! by Dannon Fluoride to Go

Spring! by Dannon Fluoridated Spring Water originates from protected springs and is bottled with minimal processing by CCDA Waters. Up to 1 mg of fluoride per liter of water is added according to optimal level guidelines recommended by the AAPD, equaling 0.25 mg of fluoride in one 8.5 fl oz bottle.

Spring! by Dannon Fluoride to Go Fluoridated Natural Spring Water has 60 percent share of the fluoridated water market and is growing faster than the youth-sized water segment.(7) It is available with or without fluoride in single serve, kid-sized 8.5 fl oz bottles with sports bottle tops and sold a grocery stores and mass retailers nationwide. A new look, including the updated name, “Spring! by Dannon”, will be in supermarkets beginning next month. For more information about Dannon Natural Spring Water, please visit our website at http://www.dannonwater.com.