Water works for oral health

Water is essential for wellness. Considering 50 – 70% of our adult bodies are made of H20, it’s unsurprising that good hydration has a great effect on your health – including dental health. Here’s a few of the ways water can improve your oral situation.

Flushes out the baddies: Want to prevent that coffee from staining your teeth? Or stop that sugary sweet from causing cavities? Have a drink of water and swish it around a little to get the nasties off your teeth! Drinking water can even dislodge plaque and food debris, so you’ll be keeping your mouth cleaner all-round.

Saliva’s best friend: Have you felt that dry, cotton-mouth feeling after exercising on a hot day? Where, as much as you try, you just can’t keep your mouth wet? That is caused by insufficient saliva flow. This can be caused by certain types of medication, but more commonly, by dehydration.

Saliva has a few essential roles: it provides lubrication to the mouth, tongue and teeth; aids in digestion; provides teeth with essential protective minerals; acts as a buffer from acids; and contains antimicrobial properties. Without proper salivation, your mouth loses its primary form of protection!

By drinking water, you can ensure a good flow of saliva to keep your entire mouth in tip-top shape.

Preventing cavities and erosion: Drinking a tall glass of water after eating or drinking helps to neutralize and flush out residual sugars and acids left in your mouth from food and drink. Most tap water in Australia contains a small amount of fluoride too, which helps to strengthen your enamel and protect against decay.

Fresher breath: Bad breath often comes from bacteria and food debris in the mouth. Drinking water helps to flush these out of the mouth, and increases saliva flow to encourage its antimicrobial properties. Together, this can keep your breath fresher for longer!

Calorie-Free: You might be intaking sweetened drinks that contain high amounts of sugar and calories. These puts you at a higher risk for dental cavities and unhealthy weight gain. So, here drinking water will help to avoid these harmful intakes and keep your body and smile healthy.

Stronger Teeth: Drinking water is known to be the best thing for oral health. If you drink fluoridated water it helps in restoring the phosphorous and calcium levels in your dental enamel to protect them from decaying. This is more significant for children at a young age, as when fluoride begins to enter their bloodstream while their teeth are growing, it has fewer chances of cavities.

Healing Property: Alkaline water helps in neutralizing the acid produced by bacteria that promotes healthy teeth and bones. Moreover, it also promotes saliva production. While the ozone infused water is used to fight infections and promote healthy gums. So, this makes it important to drink healthy water that is filtered or comes from a trusted brand.

What are the symptoms to indicate that you need to stay hydrated?

The body uses the fluid to handle various functions. If these are not fulfilled the person feels dehydrated. This condition is serious for teenagers and children. Severe dehydration can lead to immediate medical attention.

Some symptoms that may occur are dizziness, extreme thirst, dry eyes, and dry mouth. This affects your dental health and leads to affecting oral health and body health too.

Incorporating more water into daily life is not always easy. But, these tips might help you get to the recommended 2L (8 cups) of water per day!

• Have a 2L water bottle and make it your mission to finish it by the end of the day.
• To stay well hydrated, drink an extra glass of water for every tea or coffee you drink – they are caffeinated and can cause you to feel more dehydrated.
• Flavor your water with fruit! A few slices of lemon, lime or orange, whole berries, or cucumber can add that extra touch to your water that will encourage you to drink more!
• Use your phone to set reminders to drink water throughout the day.
• Keep water on you at all times, so inconvenience can’t keep you from drinking up!
• Think of your wallet! When you are dining out, remember that tap water costs nothing and will do more for your health than that sugary cocktail.

It is best for your oral health and general well-being that you drink the recommended amount of water each day. If you have been struggling to do this, and you believe it has impacted your oral health, contact United Dental Clinics to schedule a check-up today.