Everyone knows that drinking water is good for your overall health. Water keeps our bodies’ well hydrated. And considering that the human body is 60 percent water, hydration is certainly important. Water also distributes healthy nutrients throughout the body, helps to flush away wastes and toxins, lubricates our joints, keeps our muscles moving and gives our skin a healthy glow. In addition to helping to maintain a healthy body, water also contributes to a healthy mouth. Waco dentist Dr. Rick Cofer at Premier Family Dental wants to point out why water is the best beverage for your dental health.
Water Can Make Your Teeth Stronger
Fluoride is added to most municipal tap water. This naturally occurring mineral has been proven to strengthen your teeth’s enamel surfaces. It helps to prevent demineralization, the process that occurs when a cavity begins, and encourages remineralization to prevent tooth decay (a cavity) from progressing. In fact, researchers recently compared the teeth of second graders in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where fluoridation stopped in 2011 to the teeth of the same age children in Edmonton where fluoride has been added to the water since 1967. The results showed that the children in Calgary had more tooth decay that those living in Edmonton. Moral of the story? Put down the bottled water and drink tap water occasionally!
Water Cleans
Sure, you have other beverage choices—juices, sodas, sports and energy drinks. These all taste great, but that is usually because of the added sugar, which can get left behind on your teeth. Bacteria in your mouth feed on this sugar and excrete acids that can erode tooth enamel. And as if added sugar wasn’t bad enough, some of these beverages add acids so they don’t taste too sweet. Those acids can also wear away enamel.
Water, on the other hand, is sugar-free. In addition, water rinses away leftover food particles and residue that cavity-causing bacteria can feast on. Water also dilutes the acids that are either added to certain beverages or produced by bacteria.
Water Battles Dry Mouth
In the battle against tooth decay, saliva is on the front line. It washes away bits of food, helps you swallow and the calcium, phosphate and fluoride in saliva keep your teeth strong.
Sometimes though, your mouth runs low on saliva. When this happens, a dry mouth puts you at greater risk for tooth decay. Until you and Waco family dentist Dr. Cofer can come up with a solution, drinking plenty of water is the best saliva substitute.
Call Your Waco Dentist Today
For more ideas on how you can have a healthy mouth, schedule a dental checkup with Dr. Cofer and the team at Premier Family Dental in Waco, TX.