If you don’t drink any water, you won’t be around for long. If you don’t drink enough water, you can be causing yourself a number of unnecessary health problems. Dehydration or underhydration can lead to digestive or circulatory issues, result in weight gain, and create a general feeling a fatigue and lethargy. But inadequate water intake can also negatively impact your oral health. Increasing the amount of H2O you drink every day is one of the simplest and most beneficial ways you can keep your teeth, gums, and mouth healthy and feeling fresh.
Here are three reasons you should increase your water intake to improve your oral health:
Water Washes Away Oral Bacteria
When your body or face gets dirty, you use water to wash away the dirt, sweat, and oils that build up every day. The same principle applies to our mouths. Drinking water can help flush away the sugars and acids that build up in your mouth. If sugars and acids are allowed to hang around in your mouth too long, they attract and sustain bacteria that can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Water washes away leftover food which can breed bacteria and dilutes the enamel-damaging acid produced by that bacteria. Of course, just as you use soap along with water to clean your skin, water consumption alone won’t do the trick for a healthy mouth – you still need to brush, floss, and see your dentist regularly. But drinking a steady flow of water – instead of sodas or sugary drinks which can add to the unwanted and harmful levels of sugar in your mouth – can reduce the levels of bacteria in your mouth and keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Water Can Prevent Dry Mouth and Bad Breath
You can’t drink water while you’re sleeping, but if you up your water intake while you’re awake, you can reduce the “morning breath” that occurs due to dry mouth. A lack of saliva and a dry mouth create a welcoming environment for bacteria to develop, which in turn can lead to bad breath. By consuming water as often as you can, you can reduce the dryness in your mouth that occurs when you can’t.
Water Can Reduce Teeth Staining
Certain foods and drinks – like coffee, tea, berries, and candy – can stain your teeth if they are allowed to remain there after they’re consumed. If you drink water along with and after eating and drinking such things – and swish it around in your mouth a bit as you do so – you can flush away the stain-causing substances and keep your teeth healthy and white.
At Assure A Smile, we partner with our patients to help them develop healthy, natural, and effective oral hygiene habits as part of an overall wellness strategy and holistic healthcare approach. To learn more about the importance of holistic dentistry and how to develop healthier habits for a better you, please contact us today at 305-274-0047.
