Dental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum; the health of your smile is inextricably linked to your overall wellbeing. For example, staying hydrated is crucial to maintaining a health smile; learn more from our Mill Valley family dentists…
H2O for Hydration
When you are well-hydrated, you empower your body to make enough saliva to boost and support oral health. Saliva serves a number of important roles for your smile, it:
- neutralizes and dilutes acidic substances
- dislodges dental debris and plaque
- dilutes odor-causing substances
- helps to neutralize harmful oral bacteria
Looking at this list, it makes sense that people who suffer from dry mouth experience increased rates of cavity development, periodontal disease, and halitosis; they aren’t getting the benefits of saliva!
But, why hydrate using water, specifically? In short, water provides you with enamel-strengthening fluoride, and none of the potentially problematic attributes that come along with other beverages (namely: sugars, acids, and discoloring agents).
Tips & Strategies
So, are you ready to prioritize hydration in your daily routine? If so, you can start by…
- Carrying water with you, so that it’s always available
- Using a large water bottle to keep track of how much you’re drinking
- Setting reminders or alarms for “drink breaks”
- Making it a point to drink water at specific times of the day (every time you check your voicemail, for example)
- Tracking your water consumption with a planner or calendar
- Swapping one sugary or acidic drink for water each day
As you can see these strategies are easy to implement, and they will eventually become second nature to you.
Do you have other ideas or hacks about ways to stay hydrated? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Mill Valley dentists to share your ideas or ask additional questions!