Important Reasons to Stay Hydrated for Your Oral Health

Summer is here, and that means it is time to watch out for the heat! It's important to stay hydrated in summer for the sake of your body's health, but many people don't know that hydration is also important for your oral health as well!

Drinking plenty of water can protect your mouth and teeth, in the summer, as well as year-round. How? Let's take a look.

How Hydration Keeps Your Mouth Healthy

1 - Maintaining saliva flow
Saliva is 99% water, so as your body dehydrates, your saliva is one of the first things to go. However, your mouth needs that saliva circulating around. Saliva production is your mouth’s natural defense system. It washes away food particles and sugars. It neutralizes acids from acidic foods, plaque bacteria and it helps re-mineralize enamel by delivering essential minerals like calcium and phosphate. This reduces your chances of developing cavities.

Drinking water keeps your saliva in good shape, which in turn keeps your mouth safe. Plus, you'll feel better too, with a well-hydrated mouth.

2 - Protect your gums
Your gums are relatively fragile and easily-damaged, and they become more vulnerable if they dry out. Chronic dry mouth can lead to bleeding gums, which in turn opens up the possibility of gum disease forming. 

Staying well hydrated and drinking plenty of water in hot weather helps ensure your gums are properly moist. This protects them from damage.

3 - Water washes away food particles
You should brush your teeth after every meal, if possible, but sometimes that's not an option. So, swishing water around your mouth can help get rid of some of the remaining bits of food. This prevents those bits from settling into place, and causing cavities or worse problems. 

Plus, again, this is particularly important if you're in hot weather, and prone to dry mouth. Keep water circulating around your mouth as much as possible.

4 - Better Breath
Hydration supports saliva which naturally cleanses the mouth reducing odor-causing bacteria remaining from ingested foods.

5 - Supports Healing
After dental treatments or procedures or when dealing with gum disease, hydration of the mouth promotes faster tissue repair and healing.
Drinking water regularly is one of the best things you can do to protect your teeth.  Water is simple, yet most powerful tool to maintaining your oral health!

So, this summer remember to take plenty of water with you wherever you go to keep your body and your mouth hydrated.

Need a dental check-up? Call Plainsboro Dental Care today to schedule a visit at 609-799-4422.