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3 Ways Drinking Water Benefits Your Oral Health

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Drinking water is good for you and a necessary part of everyone's life, but many people don't get as much of it as they should. If you think that you have a tendency to be dehydrated, you should consider changing that, if only for the health of your teeth and gums. Here's what you need to know about your oral health and the amount of water that you're drinking.

1. Washing Away Bacteria

Drinking water serves a lot of purposes in keeping your mouth healthy, and one of the biggest among them is its ability to wash away bacteria.

Bacteria is ultimately responsible for a lot of problems with your oral health. Bacteria can trigger gum disease, which can lead to bleeding, pain, and even tooth loss if it goes on for long enough. However, bacteria are also typically responsible for teeth developing cavities, as well as plaque and tartar. Needless to say, getting rid of excess bacteria is a good thing. Every time you drink water, you flush bacteria out of your mouth, which will ultimately help you to maintain your oral health.

2. Food Debris

Another thing that drinking enough water does is flush out food debris.

Leftover bits of food in your mouth act like fuel for bacteria. Without it, they can't thrive, reproduce, and continue to cause damage to your teeth. This is why dentists typically recommend brushing your teeth after every meal. However, if you can't do that, having a nice drink of water is one of the next best things you can do.

To maximize your benefits, consider sloshing the water around between your teeth on occasion before you swallow. This will help to loosen and remove food debris that's stuck between your teeth and under your gumline.

3. Dry Mouth

Lastly, dry mouth is a serious problem for oral health. Your own saliva is there to serve the same purposes as drinking water, but if you're not producing enough saliva, you won't get any benefits.

When the mouth is dry, bacteria are able to survive more readily. While dry mouth can be caused by lots of things, like taking medication or even illicit drugs, it can also be caused by dehydration. So, if you're not drinking enough water, you not only lose out on the benefits of rinsing your mouth with it but also your own natural saliva's benefits, too.

Keeping your mouth clean relies on more than just brushing and flossing. Drinking water regularly can help to do this, too. Contact a dental office like Cherry Hill Dentistry LLC today if you're concerned about your oral health or want to know how much water you should be drinking. 


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