If you want to do something good for your smile, your first instinct can be to reach for your toothbrush, or your floss. While a consistent and thorough oral hygiene routine is important, this is not the only action you can take to protect your teeth from harmful problems like tooth decay and gum disease. Your diet choices matter, too, and choices concerning what you drink can be particularly valuable. If you have struggled to prevent cavities in the past, think about how much water you tend to drink. By staying better hydrated generally, and by choosing water over sugary drinks, you can maintain better oral health. You can learn about other smile care improvements to consider when you meet with your Shrewsbury, MA dentist for regular dental exams.
Replace Sugary Beverages With Water
One benefit to making water your drink of choice is that you can effectively cut down on sugar at meals and snacks. Soft drinks, fruit-flavored beverages, and many mixed drinks have high sugar content, which means you expose your teeth to a greater risk for tooth decay. Choosing water over these other options also has a cosmetic benefit you can appreciate. Dark and color-rich liquids can leave behind stains that are difficult to fully treat unless you arrange a professional whitening treatment. Water, with its clear appearance, does not pose the same threat to the color of your smile.
Dehydration Can Lower Your Natural Resistance Against Oral Bacteria
Did you know that your saliva production can play a role in protecting your teeth from harmful bacteria? This substance can help you clean teeth and remove food debris, and it can neutralize some unhealthy bacteria. When you stay hydrated throughout the day, it becomes easier for you to consistently produce saliva. Dehydration can restrict saliva production, which means that your body is less capable of naturally fighting oral health threats.
Additional Diet Changes That Can Help Your Smile
Diet choices can play a deceptively important role in protecting your smile from threats. In addition to choosing to drink more water, and to cut back on sugary beverages, make sure you limit your sugar consumption in meals and snacks. Many unhealthy products are both sweet and sticky, which can make cavities more likely. To cut back on your risk for decay that can require a dental filling or dental crown, you should also be careful about acidic foods and drinks. These products can weaken enamel, so it can be harder for you to prevent cavities from forming.
Modern Dentistry Of Shrewsbury Can Help You Keep Your Smile In Great Health
At Modern Dentistry Of Shrewsbury in Shrewsbury, MA, patients who are concerned about their smile health can ask questions about oral care during routine dental appointments. These visits also provide you with a professional teeth cleaning and evaluation, so each offers benefits to protect you against potential oral health issues. To learn more, call Modern Dentistry Of Shrewsbury at (508) 842-8838.
