Our bodies consist primarily of water, so we learn from a young age that we need to drink plenty of water to stay healthy. This applies to ensuring your oral health remains functioning as well. If you become dehydrated, you put your smile in danger of many dental problems.
Dentists and health experts agree you should drink at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water each day to maintain adequate hydration levels. You might need more if you consume dehydrating agents like caffeine.
This may seem difficult to accomplish, but you can feel more encouraged to seek good hydration levels when you understand the benefits it can provide. Read on to learn three ways that drinking water will keep your smile looking and feeling its best.
How Staying Hydrated Prevents Dental Damage
Give Your Oral Hygiene a Boost
We practice oral hygiene regularly at home to clean our smiles and prevent dental concerns. Natural oral bacteria generate a film of plaque over our teeth. So we brush and floss to get rid of this plaque along with other harmful residues.
However, we consume substances that contribute to plaque formation in between our teeth-brushing regimens. Drinking a glass of water can rinse lingering food particles and other residues from your smile, boosting your oral cleanliness before you get the chance to brush your teeth again.
This will keep your teeth in better shape of fighting dental dangers. And you can also see a reduced risk of forming bad breath. Continue your usual good oral hygiene habits though, which should also include visiting your dentist for routine teeth cleanings.
Protect Your Periodontal Health
When you become dehydrated, your mouth will produce less saliva as a result. Then you can experience a condition called dry mouth. Not only does this feel unpleasant, but it will create an environment that increases your risk of oral infections, including gum disease.
Gum disease can eat away at your gums, teeth, and jawbone, resulting in major irreversible dental damage. And you will require help from your dentist to get rid of this infection of the gum tissue.
Prevent gum disease and preserve your periodontal health by avoiding dry mouth. To do this, you will need to drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated gives you long-term relief from dry mouth, but drinking water will give you refreshing acute respite as well.
Strengthen Your Teeth
Drinking plenty of water, specifically tap water, can also strengthen your teeth. Tap water often contains fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral that absorbs into your teeth over time, fortifying the tooth enamel.
This allows your teeth to be better able to resist cavities and other threats that may try to infiltrate your enamel. You can also more easily fight surface stains, ensuring your teeth can continue to look their best as well as stay healthy. Find more preventative dental care and advice by contacting your dentist today either online or by phone.