How drinking water is related to teeth?
Dr. B. Kanagasabapathy
[M.D.S. (Ortho), Fellow ICOI]
The majority of our body weight is made up of water, the healthiest drink that is available easily. It helps in regulating functions in our body such as removing wastes from our body, maintaining body temperature, providing a glow to the skin, and helps in functioning brain. Water not only helps in body functioning, but it is also related to oral health too.
1) Zero Calories
Water is the only drink free from calories where other sweetened drinks are rich in sugar and calories. These sugar and calories are the primary reason for cavity and other problems such as weight gain. Some studies have proven drinking more water helps in reducing weight. Drink more water for a healthy smile.
2) Protects from dry mouth
When you don’t drink water, your mouth will be easily dried. Saliva helps in washing leftover food and swallowing the food easily. It consists of calcium, phosphate, and fluoride.
When the saliva secretion is reduced, dryness in the mouth occurs, and the food particles present in the teeth turn into harmful bacteria, and plaques develop leading to tooth decay. Thus drinking water is a great choice to prevent tooth decay.
3) Strong cavity fighter
Water mixed with fluoride is a real cavity fighter. This is the easiest and most useful way to prevent you from cavities. When fluoride is added to water in an adequate amount, it strengthens the teeth. We can get fluoride water in local tap water easily. Fluorides wash away plaque bacteria and sugar substances easily. It is a natural component responsible to prevent tooth decay.
4) Cleaner mouth
Consuming sports drinks, juice, or soda may be good for your energy, but unwanted sugar is left behind your teeth. The bacteria that causes a cavity in your mouth like to eat sugar. They later produce an acid that erodes enamel (the outer shell of teeth).
Some of the drinks also have added acids such as citric acid, phosphoric acid, or malic acid. These acids reduce some sweetness to get better taste, but they too erode enamel easily. Every sip of water cleans your mouth by washing away leftover food and residue. These leftover food and residues are the foods for cavity-causing bacteria.
The bacteria that produce acid will be diluted with the help of water. Drinking water often will keep your mouth fresh for a long way and prevents from the cavity.
5) Eliminates bad breath
When we prevent the bacteria from feeding on excess food, a fresh breath will be maintained. Bacterias may even stick on to the tongue and between the teeth. By drinking an adequate amount of water, all our body functions properly. Thus those bacteria’s stick on the tongue also washed away leading to fresh breath.
Dehydration is one of the major causes of bad breath. It is always necessary to keep your mouth moist. Drinking water is a great and easy technique to stimulate the production of saliva that helps in washing away food particles and bacteria. Sugarless chewing gums and sugarless candies also help in stimulating saliva production.
Drink an adequate amount of water and stay healthy for a brighter and younger smile!
