With about 60% of our body being made up of water, it is no surprise that this simple molecule has numerous benefits for our overall health and that make our body function properly. As expected, this means it has some benefits for our dental health and we'll share some of these with you today.
What are some benefits of drinking water for our mouth?
It Helps keep your Mouth Clean
Drinking water after a meal can help wash away food particles that are left over after eating. This is important because as we mentioned on a previous blog, certain bacteria in our mouth will feed on left over food (especially carbohydrates) which may result in the formation of a cavity.
It Helps Neutralize the Acidic Environment in your Mouth
Water also helps neutralize the acid environment in our mouth caused by these same bacteria and/or the consumption of other acidic drinks (like Coffee, Soda, Orange Juice, etc.). An acidic environment in the mouth is bad because this can result in the loss of minerals (demineralization) on our tooth, weakening the enamel and further contributing to tooth decay.
It Helps Fight Dry-Mouth
Water also helps fight and prevent dry mouth. Most of our saliva is comprised of water, therefore water consumption is needed to make sure our body can make and supply a proper amount of saliva. Saliva is important because like water, it helps neutralize acids and bathes our teeth in it, providing key minerals like calcium and phosphate which help remineralize the tooth enamel. Without any saliva or with low amounts we would suffer from dry mouth making us more susceptible to tooth decay.
It should also be noted that dry-mouth is a key factor is causing morning breath, so in a way drinking water may help prevent morning breath.
It (Tap Water) can Help Fight and Prevent Tooth decay
If you happen to be drinking tap water, then it is likely that you're drinking water with low amount of Fluoride. As you may already know, Fluoride is a mineral that strengthens the tooth enamel and helps fight and prevent tooth decay.
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