Why Drinking Water Is Good for Your Oral Health
Is your glass half-empty or half-full? If you are invested in keeping your mouth healthy, it should be at least half-full of water! Your oral health is not limited to a stellar smile, it also impacts your overall health, and drinking enough water is one of the best things you can do for your body. Staying hydrated helps your system to deliver healthy nutrients, get rid of waste, keep your muscles moving, and gives your skin a healthy glow. Drinking water regularly is also one of the best things you can do for your teeth, particularly if it is fluoridated water. Here at Christopher Cooley DDS, we know the temptation can be strong to sip on sweet tea all day or to crack open a two-liter of soda when you get home from school or work, but it is our job to look out for your smile, so keep reading to find out why water is so important to oral health!
Water Helps Your Teeth Stay Healthy and Strong
Drinking water, especially tap water that has been enhanced with fluoride, is one of the easiest things you can do to prevent cavities. Fluoride has been scientifically proven to benefit teeth by strengthening the tooth structure and promoting remineralization, and is essentially nature?s own cavity fighter. The American Medical Association, the American Dental Association, and the CDC all recommend fluoride as an effective and safe way to help strengthen your teeth. You can be confident in drinking filtered tap water, knowing any bacteria has been eliminated and the remaining fluoride will be beneficial to your smile.
Water Keeps Your Mouth Clean
Here in the South, we love our sweet tea and Diet Coke with dinner, but however delicious they may be, they leave unwanted sugar behind that cavity-causing bacteria flock to. This bacteria devour sugar and produce acid that eats away at the enamel or the outer shell of your teeth. Sodas and juices can also have phosphoric, citric, or malic acids? added to them, which can compound enamel erosion. Water, however, cleans your mouth by washing away the leftover food and debris that bad bacteria are looking for. It also dilutes the acids produced by the bacteria in your mouth. Although drinking water throughout the day is no substitute for thorough brushing, it will go a long way towards keeping your mouth clean and cavity-free!
Drinking-Water Reduces Dry Mouth
Not only is a dry mouth annoying and uncomfortable, but it can actually increase the risk for tooth decay. Saliva is your mouth’s first defense against tooth decay, washing away leftover food and debris. It also helps you swallow with ease, and helps keep your teeth strong by washing them with a mix of calcium, phosphate, and fluoride. When your saliva supply runs low, your mouth does not function as well, and your risk for tooth decay goes up. By drinking plenty of water throughout the day, you will improve your total dental health by staying hydrated and supporting saliva production.
Drinking-Water Can Reduces Bad Breath
Halitosis has created a billion-dollar industry because no one wants to deal with bad breath. It is an embarrassing problem that can have a negative impact on your social life and interactions with others. There are many causes for bad breath, including poor dental health, dirty teeth, a build-up of bacteria, and dry mouth. While there is no shortage of products aimed at eliminating halitosis, most only mask the problem. Drinking water throughout the day keeps your mouth clean and breath fresh by rinsing away odor-causing bacteria.
Tips to Get You Drinking More Water
We are made up of 60% water, and yet it seems so difficult to make sure we drink enough of it daily! Whether you dislike the taste, do not remember when to drink, or have some other reason for avoiding your daily eight, we have got a few tips to help you hit your water quota every single day.
Throw in Some Flavor
Add herbs or fruit to your water to give it a delicious boost your taste buds will appreciate. Stir herbs such as mint with a wooden spoon first to unlock the flavor, and cut the rind off any citrus fruits to keep bitterness at a minimum.
Turn Your Bottle Into a Timer
By marking lines on your water bottle, you can keep yourself motivated throughout the day to finish certain amounts by a certain time. Challenge yourself to finish ? of your bottle by lunch, half by dinner, and ? by dinner so you can finish out your day on a high note.
Sip for Success
Downing a giant glass of water all at once might help you hit your daily quota faster, but the sloshy, bloated feeling that accompanies it can be extremely off-putting. Small sips all day long is the way to go, and it is actually better for you. Water is absorbed better when you sip it gradually instead of gulping it. Use an app.
Drink Before a Meal
If you get into the habit of drinking a glass of water every time you sit down to eat, it is an easy way to get in your daily recommended intake. As an added benefit, this will curb your appetite a bit and help you eat a little less.
Drink Up With Christopher Cooley Dds
Making water your drink of choice has many health benefits, both dental and beyond. Most of us do not drink as much as we should, but it is easy to take small steps to make it easier to reach at least the recommended eight glasses a day. If you make a conscious effort to up your water intake, you will be feeling great and showing off a healthy smile in no time!
Speaking of water, we offer bottled water to every patient as part of our five-star service. Not only do we have the technical skills, experience, equipment, and training to provide top-notch dental care, we also go above and beyond to make sure each visit to our Germantown office is as enjoyable as possible. To keep you comfortable and relaxed, we have paraffin hand treatments, TV monitors throughout the office, and the homey smell of scented candles in the air. Our team is passionate about providing the best in dental results and customer satisfaction. To experience our philosophy and atmosphere yourself, give us a call today or click here to schedule a time to take a tour of our office or make an appointment.