Why You Need to Drink More Water to Protect Your Teeth

Did you know that drinking plenty of water does more for your body than just hydrate it? The human body comprises about 60-70% water. As such, water is by far the most beneficial drink in human life. Other than maintaining healthy skin, drinking water also boosts oral health. There are varying reasons why your dentist in West San Jose, CA, would recommend drinking more water after your dental exam.

The Role of Water in Dental Health

Part of proper dental care is finding preventive measures for proactively caring for your oral cavity. Drinking plenty of water is one of the preventive measures beneficial to oral health, yet it is a rarely discussed concept in dental care. Water caters to both your gums and teeth first before it nourishes the rest of your body. Some of the aspects that water is impactful for oral health are:

1. Keeping a clean mouth – One of the fundamental areas of dentistry is dental hygiene in San Jose. A clean mouth requires brushing and flossing your teeth regularly. Other than that, however, drinking water can help keep a clean mouth, but washing away any debris and food particles that remain in your mouth and in between teeth. While you continue with other healthy oral habits and routines like brushing teeth, flossing, and regular dental cleanings, you should be keen about your water intake.
2. Preventing dental cavities and other dental infections – Plaque forms when food residues combine with bacteria and saliva in your mouth. Drinking water eliminates any room for food residue to remain in your mouth for long hours. This way, you narrow down the risk of forming plaque and resulting in dental infections like cavities and gum disease.
3. Minimizing the risk of staining teeth – Dental discoloration mostly occurs not only due to poor oral hygiene, but also due to pigmentation from foods. If you are diligent about keeping your mouth clean, you should work on the issue of pigmentation from foods. Some beverages like wine, soda, and coffee contain heavy pigments that settle on teeth for a while. By drinking a glass of wattle, you rinse out the residues in your mouth and dilute the pigments to prevent dental discoloration.
4. Preventing dry mouth – Dry mouth is a condition otherwise known as xerostomia, which results from insufficient saliva in the mouth, which plays a significant role in preserving good oral health. Ideally, having more saliva in your mouth plays a similar role to drinking water. The saliva washes down any bacteria that may cause infection. However, when you have a dry mouth, plaque begins to form on the surfaces of your teeth, creating room for harmful bacteria to breed thereof.
5. For re-mineralizing your teeth – Drinking fluoridated water introduces minerals to your teeth, necessary for strengthening them and fighting against harmful bacteria. To boost the fluoride levels in your enamels, drinking fluoridated tap water. For other minerals, drink mineral water. The introduction of minerals in your mouth may restore your enamels, especially as you become more predisposed to significant enamel thinning due to aging.
6. Lowering the pH in your mouth – Harmful bacteria in your mouth damages the enamels of your teeth by turning the sugars of foods you eat into acids. It gets worse when you consume many acidic foods. However, by drinking water, you stabilize the pH levels in your mouth to prevent the erosion of your enamels.
7. Flashing out toxins from your mouth and various organs in your body – Water is essential for getting rid of toxins in your body that would otherwise compromise your health.

Summary

You do not drink water just because you feel thirsty. Drinking water should become a habit you practice that attends to all your body’s health, without overlooking your oral health. For both oral and general health, consider drinking about 2 liters of water every day. Besides, water is free from sugars, calories, and fats, which boosts your general health. If you are concerned about your dental health, visit a dentist near you to learn more about the various dental habits you should take up that will boost the functionality of your oral cavity.