METHOD: - Cross sectional study. Data on the prevalence and reason for the choice of packaged water and awareness of the fluoride content in packaged water was collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire at the InterCountry Centre for Oral Health, Jos. . RESULTS: - The prevalence of packaged water use was 92.8%.The socio – economic pattern was characterized by high schooling (96.8%). The main reason for the usage of packaged water was purity (25.9%) while others consume packaged water to prevent disease (10.3%), due to scarcity of water (10.8%) and other reasons such as availability, affordability and reliability. None of the respondents gave fluoride content as the reason for their choice of packaged water. However, 66% claims to know the importance of fluoride in drinking water. There was a significant positive association between the checking for presence of NAFDAC ( National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control) number (0.031) and expiry date (0.030), knowledge of the importance of fluoride content in packaged water (0.034), checking of fluoride content before purchase of packaged water (P=0.034) and educational status.
CONCLUSION: - Whatever the reason, the trend towards consuming packaged water will keep increasing in the coming years. The notion that packaged water is portable should be discarded as each consumer becomes informed while the regulatory bodies enforce all the laws on use of packaged water. There is need to promote the collective awareness on the health implications of fluoride content in packaged waters.