Simpson, Warren and Butler Water have partnered with the Barren River District Health Department to sponsor a community-wide Wash Your Hands campaign. We invite representatives from businesses and organizations to stop by any of our offices to receive free mirror clings related to washing hands. The mirror cling serves as a reminder to employees, students, customers, etc. to wash hands for 20 seconds to be effective in fighting germs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hand-washing is the single most important thing we can do to keep from getting sick and spreading illness to others. Washing your hands helps prevent the spread of colds, influenza, strep and other illnesses. We have several links posted related to hand-washing for children and adults.

Water is your body’s principal chemical component, comprising, on average, 60 percent of your weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for your ears, nose and throat tissues. Americans drink more than 1 billion glasses of tap water a day.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. On average, Americans consume 17.6 eight-ounce servings of beverages each day – 5.9 servings are beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol, which are diuretics that cause the body to lose water. In fact, 33 percent of what Americans drink every day can cause dehydration.

Even mild dehydration – as little as a 1 percent to 2 percent loss of your body weight – can sap your energy and make you tired. Dehydration poses a particular health risk for the very young and the very old.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:

• Excessive thirst
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Dry mouth
• Little or no urination
• Muscle weakness
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness

Source: Water, How Much Should You Drink Every day, Mayo Clinic, May 23, 2006 and Water, Water Everywhere, Colleen Danz, August 2002.

The U.S. Institute of Medicine recommends that men should drink about 13 cups of water a day, and women should drink about 9 cups a day. Join our efforts in keeping our community healthy and stay hydrated by drinking the recommended amount of water daily.

Tap into Simpson Water – one gallon of tap water costs less than 1/10 of 1 cent and provides a great nutritional value with added fluoride. North American water systems have added fluoride, a naturally occurring element, to their water supplies since 1945 to help prevent tooth decay. Since that time, child cavity rates have been reduced by 20-40% where fluoridation has been implemented. The fluoridation of drinking water is endorsed by the American Dental Association, the American Medical Association, and the US Public Health Service. The CDC proclaimed fluoridation to be one of the top ten greatest public health achievements of the past century.

What is water fluoridation? How does it prevent tooth decay?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring ion that is present in water. Fluoride’s effect is topical. It keeps the tooth enamel strong by preventing the loss of Important minerals.

Is fluoridation safe?
Yes. Extensive research conducted over the past 50 years has demonstrated that fluoridation of public water supplies is a safe and effective way to reduce the incidence of tooth decay in a community.

A detailed review by the National Research Council in 1993 found no links between low-level fluoride ingestion and occurrences of cancer, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disorders, immunological disorders, reproductive effects, genetic disorders, or bone fractures.

While exposure to high levels of fluoride over a long time can cause dental fluorosis, a condition that leads to mottled tooth enamel, discoloration, and in some cases erosion of the gum line, the fluoride content in your drinking water is limited under federal law and the levels are very low.