Even with a busy summer planned, how can you keep your smile bright and healthy? Here are a few essential tips to maintain your oral health on the go!

Drink Plenty of Water

Staying hydrated isn’t just beneficial for your body—it’s excellent for your smile too! Drinking water helps flush food particles out of your mouth and prevent them from sticking to your teeth, which can lead to plaque formation and tooth enamel damage.

Drinking water also supports hydration, which prevents dry mouth. Your saliva plays a crucial role in protecting your teeth from bacteria, so preventing dry mouth goes a long way towards keeping your breath fresh, your teeth clean, and your smile healthy [1]!

Use Sugarless Gum

If you’re traveling this summer and aren’t in your regular routine or forget to brush your teeth, sugarless gum is immensely helpful. Chewing sugar-free gum increases saliva production, and saliva acts as a buffer between your teeth and harmful bacteria. Chewing sugarless gum can actually help prevent cavities while keeping your breath fresh [2].

Excellent for after meals or those rushed mornings when you forget to brush your teeth, keeping sugarless gum handy is a great way to support your oral health on the go!

Pack Healthy Snacks

What you eat can influence your oral health just as much as your brushing and flossing routine.

By skipping sugary foods and drinks, you can help keep your teeth healthy this summer. When going on a trip or even for your snack at work, pack healthy choices such as apples, carrots, and celery. These crunchy foods have a high water content and can help hydrate you while reducing plaque formation on your teeth throughout the day [3].

Healthy summer treats to enjoy this season include melon such as cantaloupe and watermelon, blueberries, homemade frozen yogurt, blackberries, and apricots!

Don’t Neglect Your Brushing and Flossing!

Although each of these activities is excellent for your smile, they should never replace your home care habits for your teeth and gums. You should still brush twice a day and floss once a day, and continue to keep your regular checkups with your dentist.

What do you have planned for this summer? Whether you’re going on a vacation or staying put for a staycation, keep your smile healthy during this busy time of year with the above tips!

Sources:
1. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/nutrition/food-tips/water-best-beverage
2. https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/chewing-gum
3. http://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/info/books-

The post Keeping Your Smile Healthy This Summer (On the Go!) appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

But did you know that drinking water is also crucial for supporting proper oral health? It’s true: water plays a pivotal role in keeping your teeth and gums healthy, and here’s why!

Drinking Water Helps Clean Your Mouth

When you drink water, you actually help rinse your mouth of any food particles that can cause harmful bacteria and acids in your oral cavity [1].

Your saliva contains digestive enzymes that actually help begin breaking down food in the mouth, but when bits of food are left behind, the bacteria these enzymes produce can be damaging to tooth enamel, causing it to weaken.

Damaged tooth enamel can lead to sensitive teeth and cavities, as well as discolored teeth. Fortunately, you can help protect your tooth enamel and reduce your risk for cavities simply by drinking enough water!

Water Replenishes Saliva to Protect Teeth

Saliva is mostly made of water and helps nourish your teeth to prevent decay. Not only does saliva play a role in preventing food particles, bacteria, and plaque from harming teeth, but it also contains minerals such as calcium and phosphorus to keep the tooth enamel strong and prevent decay.

When you don’t drink enough water, dry mouth is one of the first side effects. Without the buffer of saliva, dry mouth makes it easier for acids and bacteria to harm the teeth, and lead to an increased risk for cavities, bad breath, and gum disease [2].

Not only does water help replenish your saliva, but it also helps you to stay hydrated, which can keep your saliva production healthy throughout the day to protect your smile!

What Type of Water Is Best?

So now you know that drinking water is good for both your body and your smile—but what kind of water is best?

Plain water is the most beneficial for your teeth and gums. Sparkling water is slightly more acidic than flat water due to its carbonation, and flavored water such as that with sugars artificial flavors, or lemon can be too acidic on the teeth and potentially accelerate tooth enamel damage.

If your tap water is fluoridated, this could help benefit your teeth even more to prevent decay [3]. If you have any questions about your fluoride consumption, don’t hesitate to follow up with your dentist!

Are you drinking enough water? Aim for at least eight glasses a day depending on your weight and activity level. Your body will usually tell you when you’re thirsty—so drink up and let your smile reap the benefits!

Sources:
1. https://dentistry.uic.edu/patients/drink-more-water
2. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/nutrition/food-tips/water-best-beverage
3. https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/index.html

The post Did You Know Drinking Water Is Good for Your Smile? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.