- With Mayo Clinic emeritus consultant
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Dr. Jay Hoecker, an emeritus consultant in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, brings valuable expertise to MayoClinic.com in general and primary care pediatrics. He has a particular interest in infectious diseases of children.
Dr. Hoecker, a Fort Worth, Texas, native, is certified as a pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was trained at Washington University's St. Louis Children's Hospital, and in infectious diseases at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1989.
"The World Wide Web is revolutionizing the availability and distribution of information, including health information about children and families," Dr. Hoecker says. "The evolution of the Web has included greater safety, privacy and accuracy over time, making the quality and access to children's health information immediate, practical and useful. I am happy to be a part of this service to patients from a trusted name in medicine, to use and foster all the good the Web has to offer children and their families."
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Question
Infant formula: Should I use tap or bottled water?
Is it safe to mix infant formula with tap water? I've read that too much fluoride can be harmful to infants.
Answer
from Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
In 2006, the American Dental Association published interim guidelines suggesting that fluoridated tap water not be used to prepare infant formula.
Keep in mind that exposure to fluoride during infancy helps prevent tooth decay during childhood and beyond. That's why fluoride supplements are often recommended for infants who are exclusively breast-fed after age 6 months.
However, regularly mixing powdered or liquid infant formula concentrate with fluoridated water may increase the risk of a child developing faint white markings on the teeth — a sign of mild enamel fluorosis. This affects both baby teeth and permanent teeth. In children younger than 8 years old, combined fluoride exposure from all sources — water, food, toothpaste or other products — contributes to fluorosis.
If you use only nonfluoridated water — such as purified, deionized or distilled bottled water — to prepare your baby's formula, your baby's doctor may recommend fluoride supplements beginning at age 6 months.
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