Water is perhaps one of the most essential resources on our planet. For centuries, human beings have relied on it as not just an easy beverage, but also as a key element of agriculture, travel, trade, and business. There’s no doubt that even in this age of fancy food marketing and technological innovation, water is still as valuable as ever.
Health gurus, fitness nuts, doctors, and dentists won’t hesitate to recommend water above all else. Sure, energy drinks and other healthy beverages have their fair share of benefits, but they just can’t replicate the wonderful health benefits found in a refreshing glass of H2O. Keeping up a healthy water intake every day works wonders not just for your skin and stomach, but also for your teeth, tongue, and gums. Here are some important reasons to drink water every day.
1. It Keeps Away Tooth Decay
It’s no secret that fluoride is our best defense against painful cavities. Many studies have shown that communities who drink water with fluoride are less likely to suffer from problems with damaged or eroded teeth.
Every time you drink a glass of water with fluoride the enamel in your teeth becomes stronger and more resistant against bacteria, plaque, hard food, and other oral health dangers. So even if you like to drink sugary beverages or chew on tough food every day, you aren’t likely to suffer from serious problems just as long as you keep up a healthy fluoride intake.
2. It Rinses Dirt and Nasties Away
Even though sports drinks and soda can do a pretty good job of soothing a parched throat during a hot day, they can do more harm than good for your teeth. Nasty mouth bacteria thrives on the sugar in fruit juice, iced tea, cold coffee, and other sweetened beverages. With every sip you take you make your teeth and gums more prone to tooth decay, gum disease, sticky plaque, and other painful oral health problems. Even if you decide to brush right after drinking something sweet, it isn’t enough to undo the damage that sugar has done to your precious teeth.
So what’s the best way to wash down a not-so-great meal or stay cool during the summer? Drinking a glass of water, of course! Unlike sugary beverages, water doesn’t pose any serious risks to your oral and overall health. In fact, it actually helps your teeth win the never-ending war against sugar, bacteria, plaque, and painful cavities.
Drinking water washes away nasty odor-causing and cavity-causing bacteria stuck to your teeth and gums. It also rinses out crumbs and food residue stuck in hard to reach places and dilutes harmful acids. Even though you’ll still need to brush and floss twice a day to achieve that perfect smile, there’s no doubt that enhancing your daily meals with water really helps.
3. It Keeps Your Mouth Moist
Besides fluoride, saliva is another key element in winning the war against painful cavities and tooth decay. It not only helps with speaking and swallowing, but it also protects teeth from nasty plaque and bacteria.
When our mouths don’t produce enough saliva our teeth and gums become more vulnerable to harmful plaque, germs, and bacteria. The longer bacteria invade our teeth, the more likely we are to suffer from cavities, tooth decay, gingivitis, and other serious oral health problems.
Drinking water every day ensures that our mouths don’t become dry or fall prey to nasty plaque and bacteria. Water also ensures that our mouths don’t become environments where bacteria can easily thrive, spread, and cause damage. Your teeth can also greatly benefit from other minerals found in saliva, such as calcium and phosphate.
4. It’s 100% Calorie-Free
Are you having trouble shaving off those extra calories? Why not trade in the energy drinks for a cool glass of water? Unlike sweetened beverages, water doesn’t contain the sugar or calories responsible for rapid weight gain. Not only does water protect your body from obesity, but it also lessens your chances of suffering from type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems.
The next time you’re feeling parched after a workout, go for a glass of water instead of soda or anything sugary. Your teeth, gums, and heart are sure to become stronger from it.