FDA will allow fluoride label on bottled water

WASHINGTON (AP) — Companies can claim that drinking bottled water with fluoride prevents cavities, the government said Wednesday.

The Food and Drug Administration said it would allow bottlers of fluoridated water to make the health claim, in a notice dated Oct. 14 but posted Wednesday to its Web site.

The claim — specifically, that fluoridated water may reduce the risk of dental cavities or tooth decay — is not intended for use on bottled water marketed to infants, the FDA said.