How Drinking Water Is Good for Your Teeth and Gums
At Sunrise Dental of Glendale we know how important hydration is to a healthy mouth. Drinking water is always good for your teeth and gums. Along with regular brushing and flossing, drinking water is one of the best ways to prevent cavities and gum disease. You can stop plaque buildup and protect your tooth enamel just by drinking water throughout the day—read on to learn more.
Drinking Water Keeps Your Mouth Clean
By rinsing away harmful bacteria and food debris, drinking water fights cavities and gum disease. Drinking water is good for your teeth because it keeps your mouth clean! Plaque can’t build up in a clean, hydrated mouth. Acids from plaque, food, and beverages can harm your tooth enamel, but drinking water dilutes acids to help protect your teeth. A simple glass of water can wash away residue that might cause stains, reduce the bacteria that cause bad breath, and protect your tooth enamel. The more water you drink, the brighter you’ll be smiling!
Drinking Water Fights Dry Mouth
Dry mouth, or xerostomia, is a condition where plaque builds up because the mouth does not produce enough saliva. Saliva plays an important role in helping to protect your teeth and gums. Like water, saliva washes away food debris and fights cavity-causing bacteria. Acid from plaque buildup damages teeth and causes lesions that can develop into cavities, but saliva helps to prevent acid attacks from plaque. Minerals in your saliva also help to strengthen and rebuild tooth enamel; without adequate saliva, your teeth are more susceptible to damage. Drinking water helps your mouth stay hydrated and stimulates saliva production.
Drinking Water Helps Restore Tooth Enamel
Remineralization is another reason that drinking water is good for your teeth. Your tooth enamel has an even higher mineral content than your bones. Drinking water with trace minerals and fluoride helps to restore and strengthen your enamel. However, minerals and fluoride are usually only found in tap water and mineral water. Filtered water and bottled water often lack essential minerals, while distilled water and reverse osmosis water have no minerals or fluoride at all. If you prefer filtered or distilled water for its purity, ask about scheduling a series of fluoride treatments at your next appointment with Sunrise Dental.
Contact Us
Our friendly dentists Dr. Timothy Mettler, Dr. Victoria Griego, and Dr. Andrew Mikhail are committed to providing the highest level of dental care. Dr. Metter and Dr. Griego have proudly served Peoria, Arizona and the surrounding communities of Surprise, Phoenix, and Glendale for over 30 years. Contact us today to learn more about our dental services and to schedule your visit with our talented and attentive team. We look forward to giving you a reason to smile!
Photo by Jacek Dylag on Unsplash