February 10, 2019
There are so many benefits to drinking water. Maintaining hydration helps our bodies distribute nutrients, removes waste, keeps our muscles moving, and helps provide a healthy glow for our skin. Our teeth also see many benefits from water consumption. Here are four ways drinking water helps improve that beautiful smile on your face.
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Water makes our teeth stronger. Fluoride, when used in drinking water, helps prevent tooth decay. Fluoride is also found in tap water.
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Water helps clean our mouth. Drinking water helps wash away food particles and residue left behind after each meal or snack. Bacteria that reside in your mouth love to consume sugar and produce acid, which can wear away at tooth enamel. Water helps dilute these acids, while juice, soda, and sports drinks can leave unwanted sugar behind to help feed the bacteria.
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Water prevents dry mouth. Saliva is 99% water; when you’re low on saliva, you experience dry mouth. This condition makes it difficult to swallow and chew. Saliva is also your mouth’s top defense against tooth decay. Like water, it washes away food particles while providing calcium, phosphate, and fluoride to your teeth. When you’re low on saliva, you’re at a higher risk of tooth decay, so it’s important to stay hydrated with water.
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Water is zero calories. The more sugary drinks you consume, the more you’re at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Water has zero sugar and zero calories, so it’s safe to say it is the healthiest drink for your teeth.