Water, Water Everywhere, So Drink Some for Your Teeth

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Who doesn’t love a cool glass of water? In addition to being refreshing on a hot day or after some strenuous exercise, water has some serious benefits for your oral health. But many people don’t get enough water. After all, the majority of our bodies is actually water, and we need a lot to keep all our complex systems running. Here are some reasons drinking water is good for your mouth.

Water fights dry mouth. You produce saliva naturally as a defense against tooth decay. But when you have a dry mouth, that protection is reduced. Drinking water, while not substituting saliva, can lessen your risk of tooth decay until you find a long-term solution.

Water keeps your mouth clean. Other drinks can wash down your food, but leave behind sugar and other particles. The bacteria in your mouth feed on this sugar and produce acid, which eats away at the enamel on your teeth. Enamel is a hard protective surface, like the outside of porcelain. When it wears away, your teeth become more sensitive and susceptible to cavities. But water washes away sugar and other particles, helping you stay cavity-free.

Water can also strengthen your teeth. Drinking water with fluoride can make your teeth more cavity-resistant. Fluoride is added to drinking water by many cities, and is a natural cavity fighter. So have a glass of tap water now and then.

Letitia M. Williams, DDS, LLC is here to help everyone in the Union Springs, Alabama, area achieve the healthiest possible smile, and drinking plenty of water is one simple thing you can do to get there. Please call 334.377.3778 to schedule a checkup today!