Summer in Florida is like no other place in the world. The bright sunshine, the soft sand along the beach, and the warm summer nights; it’s paradise. However, if you are not drinking enough water, then Florida summer’s can get uncomfortable real fast. This is because the human body is approximately 60% water and even losing 2% of your total water content can cause you to feel not so great. In fact, dehydration can cause impaired brain function, decreased physical activity, and headaches.
To avoid becoming dehydrated and miserable in the summer sun, most experts recommend drinking at least eight 8 oz glasses of water per day. This helps to ensure that your body has enough water to function properly. However, drinking enough water daily is not only beneficial for your overall health, but it can help improve your oral health as well. Here are some of the oral health benefits associated with drinking water:
Keeps Your Mouth Clean
Unlike soft drinks, water does not contain ingredients like sugar and/or acids. This means that it won’t leave a coating of these ingredients on the surface of your teeth. Not only that, but water actually helps to remove food particles and debris from your mouth in order to keep it clean. It also flushes away sugar deposits so that bacteria are unable to feed. As a final note, water also helps to stabilize the pH of your saliva by reducing its acidity, which decreases the amount of damage bacteria can do to your teeth.
Strengthens Your Enamel
Nowadays, the majority of drinking water sources are fluoridated, meaning that there is supplemental fluoride added to the water. Fluoride is highly beneficial for preventing tooth decay as it helps to strengthen your enamel and make it more resistant to the damage caused by bacteria. In fact, water is one of the only beverages that contain fluoride
Prevents Dry Mouth
Dry mouth is when the mouth does not produce enough saliva. Unfortunately, dry mouth can be highly detrimental to your oral health because not having enough saliva makes it harder for your mouth to stay clean. This means that excess bacteria can grow and cause bad breath, gum disease, and tooth decay. Drinking water regularly helps to prevent dry mouth, while also stimulating the production of saliva.
Tips for Drinking More Water
As you can see, there are many key benefits of drinking water over other types of drinks. Not only does drinking water not expose your teeth to harmful ingredients, but it also cleans your teeth and helps to strengthen your enamel. Additionally, it helps to prevent dry mouth and keeps your mouth clean. If you are looking for ways to drink more water, check out these tips:
- Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. This makes it easier to drink water when you are thirsty instead of buying a soft drink.
- Work on sipping water throughout the day instead of gulping down large amounts at once. This is because water is absorbed better when taken in slowly, and it will prevent you from feeling bloated. Carrying a water bottle with you also helps you to make sipping water part of your daily routine.
- Monitor how much water you drink daily and then set goals for yourself to increase your water intake for the day.
- Get in the habit of drinking water before and after every meal. Drinking water before a meal helps you to meet your daily water requirement and eat less, while drinking water after a meal will clean your mouth and decrease the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
Dr. Sadati possesses extensive experience in all aspects of advanced restorative dentistry, with an emphasis in cosmetic and implant dentistry. He has attained Accredited Fellow status in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), the most rigorous, demanding credentialing process in the world. He is the only AACD Accredited Fellow in South Florida.
