Staying Hydrated Will Save Your Smile

It’s almost summertime in Virginia. Do you know where your water bottle is?

You might be thinking that drinking enough water is easy, that dehydration isn’t that bad, and so why dedicate an entire blog to the topic?

Well, my dear reader, as it turns out there is plenty you probably didn’t know about the effect that dehydration can have on your oral health. And since knowledge is power, a little foresight can go a long way to protecting you and your family from a dehydration-related condition as the summer sporting season starts in earnest.

So What’s The Big Deal, Anyway?

We don’t really stop and take time out of our day to show our appreciation to our spit. Yeah, I know how that sounds, but just hear me out.

Each element of your mouth, from your teeth to your tongue and (yes) even your spit, has an important, vital role to play in the health of your smile. This includes saliva. Believe it or not, it has restorative properties, such as replenishing calcium to your tooth enamel; can prevent bacterial or fungal infections from occurring, and helps break down food into easily digestible particles.

But a dehydrated mouth won’t be producing enough saliva for those benefits to matter, inviting a host of nasty (and expensive) problems to your smile.

In more extreme cases, dehydration can result in a number of serious and life-threatening developments, including delirium, fever, rapid heartbeat, and even unconsciousness.

A Lowered Oral Immune System

Indeed, if you or a member of your family are constantly drinking too little water, then the chances of a bacterial or fungal infection settling in your smile will significantly increase.

But hold up: How is this even possible? , you might be wondering. Well, as it turns out, it’s pretty simple.

Imagine your mouth as a kind of ecosystem: Each part of your smile plays a crucial role, and when those parts are working as they should, the balance results in a healthy, attractive smile.

But if you just slightly alter one of those parts, then the balance is upset and can result in problems depending on the part which fails you.

When you are properly hydrated, your mouth will be producing enough saliva to kill harmful bacteria which can cause gum disease or even nasty fungal infection.

You can probably tell where this is going from here: Without the protection of saliva, it’s far too easy for a bacterial or fungal infection to invade your mouth and ruin your smile, or the smile of a loved one, from the inside out.

Of course, as your new Burke dentist, I can treat those infections should they arise. I have painless gum disease treatments which can rid your smile of any harmful bacteria, and repair the damage while we’re at it.

But the big takeaway you should have is that you can prevent these and other problems just by making sure that you and your family are regularly drinking enough water. You’ll literally save yourself a nasty headache if you do.

Even more so, players who are adequately hydrated perform better and longer during the game. So by simply making an effort to prevent dehydration, you’re not only protecting your oral health, but you are also improving your chances of winning!

Schedule Your Checkup!

If you or a member of your family are currently experiencing the negative oral consequences of chronic dehydration, then it’s high time to come to my Burke dentist’s office and get a professional dental examination in order to nip any problems in the bud. Otherwise, the problems will simply continue to get worse, and your smile (and your overall health) will be at grave risk.

It doesn’t have to come to the point where you or a member of your family are suffering from serious oral health problems just because you aren’t drinking enough water.

I urge you to reach out to us so that my dedicated staff and I can examine your smile or the smile of any member of your family, as well as teach you even more about how to properly care for your pearly whites.

You can reach me at 703-978-5253, or you can place your appointment with us online by filling out this easy web form.