In order to maintain a clean smile, it is obviously important to brush, floss, and keep up with your regularly scheduled professional cleanings. However, there is one, exceedingly simple, thing that you can do to boost your oral health even more: drink plenty of water.
Staying hydrated can help your smile in a number of ways. Keep reading to read more from our Toluca Lake dentists:
You already know that it’s important to stay hydrated in order to maintain whole body wellness. But, how does water affect your smile, specifically?
Well, first of all, when you drink water you help to dislodge any dental debris or food particles that may be stuck in your smile. Water can also rinse away acidic substances and sugars, which limits the amount of time that these substances have to damage your smile. Many people get into the habit of rinsing their mouths with water after eating for this exact reason.
Additionally, when you drink water, you prompt your body to produce saliva. Saliva works to neutralize oral bacteria, and re-mineralize soft enamel. You want your mouth to have plenty of saliva, so that oral bacteria are not able to run rampant. Many people who suffer from chronic dry mouth, for example, also deal with halitosis because they aren’t producing enough saliva.
Another reason that water is a good choice for your oral health is because it is neutral. Think about it, every time that you reach for water, you are not reaching for a sugary soda or juice. Water is the healthy choice; it does not introduce potentially problematic substances like sugars and acids into your oral environment. Try replacing just one of your mid-day sodas with water in order to get an immediate oral health boost.
Drinking plenty water is a fast, cheap, and effective thing that you can do to help your smile stay fresh and healthy. A surprisingly large number of adults actually don’t drink enough water throughout the day; now is the time to get back on track.
You can always contact our Toluca Lake dentists to learn more about how you can improve your oral health at home. Give our office a call or use the Contact Us page on our website in order to submit an inquiry.