Have you done enough today to protect your smile against problems like tooth decay and gum disease? When considering this question, you may dwell on how much you have done to clean your teeth. What you might not think about is how much water you have consumed so far. Water consumption can be more important than you might anticipate, as your hydration levels can affect your body’s ability to naturally fight oral bacteria and food debris buildup. The health of your smile is important, and it can influence your general health in more ways than you might realize. Our Shrewsbury, MA dentist’s office is proud to help patients take care of their teeth during regular dental exams, and through helpful guidance on smart smile care at home.
How Can Your Hydration Levels Impact Your Oral Health?
If you are frequently failing to stay properly hydrated, you can experience dry mouth more often. Dry mouth occurs when there is a lack of saliva production, and it can do more than just make you feel uncomfortable. Saliva is capable of neutralizing bacteria that can gather in our mouths, so it is an effective natural defense against tooth decay and gum disease. Saliva also helps us wash away the food particles that could become stuck to teeth when we eat. Those particles provide more food for bacteria, which can then lead to more problems with cavities.
Drinking More Water Can Offer Several Benefits For Your Smile
By drinking more water in a typical day, you can stay better hydrated. You can also use water to effectively curb your consumption of flavored drinks that put you at risk for problems with your smile. Dropping soda in favor of water can help you cut down on sugar. This choice is also beneficial because the acidity of soft drinks can weaken teeth, making them more vulnerable to decay as well as enamel stains. Other beverages like coffee, tea, and alcohol can also have different unwelcome effects that you can protect yourself against by drinking more water.
Other Daily Behaviors That Can Help You Protect Your Teeth
When it comes to keeping your teeth fully protected, remember that it is hard to overstate the value of good brushing and flossing. When these habits are consistent, you can keep bacteria and food debris from gathering and creating problems. You should also know that your emotional state can be more relevant to your smile than you realize. When you live with poorly managed stress, you can have a harder time focusing on good oral hygiene, and you can become more likely to develop TMJ problems and teeth grinding issues.
Your Shrewsbury, MA Dentist Can Help You Maintain A Healthy Smile
Our Shrewsbury, MA dentist’s office is prepared to help patients keep their teeth healthy through effective preventive dental care. To find out more about what we can do for you, please call Modern Dentistry Of Shrewsbury at (508) 842-8838.
