What liquid do you drink?
What liquids do you drink? As times change and families become more busy a change in what American are consuming has changed tremendously in the past 50 years. From fast foods to sweetened acidic drinks that are readily available on the fly in our increasingly busy lives. At Wild For A Smile, we have seen in the past 20 years an increased consumption of sports drinks, energy drinks, fancy coffees and pop by children and teens. The correlation between these drinks and decay is that they are both on the rise.
If Americans could cut out all sugary drinks to one a day and replace the other fluids they drink daily with water, our nation would see a decrease in health issues and dental decay.
Why drink more water?
Water is unlike any other drink, and is by far the healthiest drink available. Our bodies are made of 60% water, and staying hydrated helps your system distribute healthy nutrients, gets rid of waste, gives your skin a healthy glow and keeps your muscles moving. And–drinking water really helps your teeth stay healthy – especially if it’s fluoridated.
Drinking water with fluoride, is one of the easiest and most beneficial things you can do to help prevent cavities. More Info
Here are 4 reasons why drinking more fluoridated water improves the health of your teeth.
1. Strengthens your teeth.
Drinking water with fluoride, which is “nature’s cavity fighter” is one of the easiest and most beneficial things you can do to help prevent cavities. Fluoride is a mineral and in the right amount, strengthens your teeth. You can generally get fluoride in your local tap water. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a recommendation for the optimal fluoride level that should be in drinking water to prevent tooth decay. Why there is some controversy about fluoridation, water fluoridation is endorsed by the American Medical Association, the American Dental Association and the CDC, which lists it as one of the top 10 most important public health measures of the 20th century.
Fluoridation is the most cost-effective way to prevent tooth decay and build healthy communities.
Evidence shows that for most cities, every $1 invested in fluoridation saves $38 in costs to treat dental problems. More Info
2. Washes away the bad stuff!
Water is a great mouth cleaner because it washes away leftover food and residue that cavity-causing bacteria love to eat. The cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth love to eat sugar and produce acid that wears away enamel, which is the outer shell of your teeth. It also dilutes the acids produced by the bacteria in your mouth. Drinking juice, soda or sports drinks on the other hand, can leave unwanted sugar behind.
3. Who wants dry mouth?
Did you know that saliva is 99% water? When you are low on saliva, you will most likely experience a dry mouth – a condition that makes it hard to swallow and chew because of a lack of saliva. Saliva is your mouth’s first defense against tooth decay. It washes away leftover food, helps you swallow with ease and keeps your teeth strong by washing them with calcium, phosphate and fluoride. When your saliva supply runs low, dry mouth may also put you at risk for tooth decay. By drinking enough water, you help prevent dry mouth and ensure that your saliva is produced at an optimal rate.
4. Guess what: no calories!
Rising consumption in sugary beverages has been a major contributor to the increasing rate of obesity in the United States. In fact, people who consume 1 – 2 sugary beverages per day are 26% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. This can be avoided by substituting colas, sugary juices and sports drinks with a glass of water. Water doesn’t have any calories, and it contains no sugar, which makes it incredibly healthy. More Info.