Call Us! (780) 424-7475

Water and Oral Health

Drinking water is essential for your body, it keeps the cells in your body hydrated, and your skin glowing. But did you know that water can also be beneficial for your oral health? That’s right, drinking adequate water is linked directly to your oral health. Here are some of the top ways in which water improves your oral health:

It Strengthens the Teeth

The drinking water in Edmonton has fluoridation of up to 70%. This fluoridation encourages the growth of protective enamel on the teeth that prevents tooth decay. The same also mixes with saliva and helps prevent plaque.

recent study compared children from Edmonton, a city that has such high fluoridation, to those of Calgary, a city that stopped fluoridation of water in 2011. The study found that children from Edmonton have healthier teeth, whereas those from Calgary suffered more decay.

Hence, drinking tap water in Edmonton can help you maintain healthy teeth by preventing plaque, tartar and decay. Thanks to the fluoridation in the water.

It Keeps the Mouth Clean

When you drink sugary drinks like soda, juice, energy drinks, etc., the sugar gets consumed by bacteria that turn it into acid. This acid attacks the enamel of the teeth, wearing it down over time. This can lead to cavities and plaque, making such drinks unhealthy for your oral health.

On the other hand, water is calorie-free and sugarfree; hence, it does not cause any cavities and plaque. On the contrary, it dilutes the acid that is created by sugar in your mouth. It helps overcome the damage done by those sugary drinks.

And water also helps clean the mouth by washing down the food debris after meals. This makes water the healthiest of the drinks, which you should choose over other sugary beverages if you want to keep your mouth clean and healthy.

It Prevents Dry Mouth

When you don’t consume enough water, the saliva levels in your mouth go down. This leads to a dry mouth, which is a perfect place for bacteria to thrive. Additionally, the calcium and phosphate in your saliva defend your teeth to a great extent. So when you do have a dry mouth, not only are the bacteria thriving in your mouth, but your teeth are also vulnerable to them.

To prevent this, you need to keep drinking water regularly to avoid drying up your mouth and to keep the saliva levels high. This will significantly prevent a buildup of plaque and tartar in your mouth.

It Fights Bad Breath

Lastly, water helps fight bad breath that is caused by dry mouth and the food debris collected in the teeth. It leads to you having fresher breath while reducing the risk of bad breath even after you’ve woken up from sleep. Although small when compared to other reasons listed above, this not just helps your oral health but also helps with your confidence.

This is how water is essential for your oral health. Hence, we recommend that you drink water regularly throughout the day. Water will not only keep your body healthy and hydrated, but it will also keep your mouth healthy, making it less vulnerable to tooth decay, cavities and tartar. To know more about oral hygiene, and how to keep your teeth healthy, contact Downtown Dental.