From a young age, we learn that drinking water and staying hydrated are crucial to maintaining your overall good health. This proves true for your mouth too. Your body consists primarily of water, so if you experience low hydration levels, you can see a toll on your well-being.
Drink at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water to keep yourself hydrated. You might need more if you consume dehydrating agents like caffeine.
You can feel more encouraged to drink this amount of water when you know the benefits your smile will feel if you do. Read on to learn three of the many reasons that staying hydrated by drinking water will improve your oral health.
3 Ways Drinking Water Helps Your Smile
Boosts Oral Hygiene
You practice a thorough oral hygiene regimen to clean your teeth and keep your smile healthy. When you brush and floss your teeth, you scrub away plaque, lingering food particles, and other harmful residues that will otherwise eat away at your dental structure.
But you also consume substances that contribute to plaque formation in between your teeth-brushing routines. If you drink a glass of water, you can rinse away harmful particles that will in turn boost your oral hygiene.
This will make your mouth feel and look fresher. And a cleaner mouth will mean a reduced risk of dental dangers and structural damage. You can also see a lower likelihood of forming bad breath from lingering food in your teeth.
Fights Dry Mouth
If you do not drink enough water, you can become dehydrated, which will make your mouth produce less saliva. This will leave you with dry mouth, an uncomfortable sensation that will also put your oral health in danger.
A dry oral environment will allow natural oral bacteria to spread more easily through the mouth. This will heighten your risk for infections, including gum disease.
This infection of the gum tissue will require treatment from a dentist to eradicate, so you should avoid contracting the disease as well as you can. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated so that you can avoid dehydration, dry mouth, and, inherently, periodontal problems like gum disease.
Strengthens Teeth
Your teeth feature a hard outer shell called enamel. This keeps your more vulnerable interior of the teeth safe from harm, but enamel can erode over time. Once gone, enamel does not regrow, but there are ways to preserve the remaining enamel.
A naturally occurring mineral called fluoride will absorb into your teeth when you consume it, strengthening the enamel. This makes it better resistant to tooth decay as well as surface stains. So you can fight cavities while also ensuring your smile looks and feels its best.
Tap water is an excellent source of fluoride, so drink plenty of this type of water if you want to fortify your teeth. Learn more about the benefits of water for your smile and other preventative care when you contact your dentist.