There are some tips that a Newport Beach dentist has probably given you that you could recite in your sleep: brush twice a day, floss, use mouthwash, avoid eating too much candy. But here’s one tip that might fly below the radar of some Newport Beach residents: drink more water.
If you’ve never heard this advice before as it relates to better oral health, then you might be a bit confused. What does drinking more water have to do with healthier gums and teeth? Read on, and we’ll explain.
The Link Between Water and Oral Health
It’s a fact that individuals who drink more water are healthier in general. A stunning number of people go through life in a state of partial dehydration because instead of drinking water they consume only sports drinks, juice, sodas, or even alcohol. While those beverages might slake your thirst for a time, they don’t have the hydrating power of water. Water has many health benefits unrelated to oral health, and the more you drink of it, the better you’ll feel.
As far as drinking water for healthy gums and teeth, one way that water makes a positive impact is that the more of it you drink, the less likely your teeth are to become stained. Nobody likes unsightly stains on their teeth, and if you drink a lot of coffee and red wine or you eat a lot of berries, the formation of stains might seem like an inevitability.
If you drink more water, though, you’re washing away the food particles and sugar that are trying to build up there. If you don’t drink enough water then the sugars that you are consuming combine with bacteria in your mouth and form acids which eat away at your enamel. As your Newport Beach dentist will tell you, you can fight back by drinking more water.
It Fights Bad Breath
Bad breath can be embarrassing, and it’s not what anybody wants. There’s always sugar-free gum and breath mints, but drinking more water can also have a significant impact in this area. Bacteria usually causes bad breath, and it can thrive in a dry mouth. If you drink water throughout the day, it prevents the formation of bacteria, and chronic bad breath is not as likely to be a problem for you.
A Source of Fluoride
You might not be aware of this, but public sources of water also contain fluoride, and fluoride helps to fight tooth decay. It strengthens the tooth structure, and it also promotes remineralization, which repairs tooth decay in its early stages.
Drinking more water is good news for your teeth and gums, and your overall health and wellbeing. That’s why you shouldn’t be surprised if your Newport Beach dentist brings it up. Try to consume eight-to-ten eight-ounce glasses of water each day, and you’ll soon start to notice the benefits.