Staying hydrated by drinking lots of water is a good thing. Healthcare professionals cannot urge individuals enough to trade sodas, fruit juices, and energy drinks for this beneficial beverage that fuels not just the body but also the brain and mouth. While nothing compares to simple H20, you may enjoy the taste of flavored water as an alternative. Although it might seem harmless, adding fruits and other items can cause problems with your oral health if you’re not careful. Keep reading to learn about the hidden dangers and what you can do to minimize the impact on your teeth.
What is So Bad About Flavored Water?
Instead of pouring a glass of water, you decide to reach for the kind that’s infused with delicious fruits and berries. It’s a harmless option, right?
Unfortunately, this kind of alternative can do more damage to your teeth than you might realize. Not only can it soften your tooth enamel, but it can also lead to its erosion. Since many of these beverages contain highly acidic foods, their contents can eat away at the outer layer of your pearly whites, causing them to become thin and soft over time.
What you’re left with is a smile that may become more sensitive and vulnerable to tooth decay.
What You Can Do to Safeguard Your Smile
Since minimizing your risk of cavities is important for better oral health, you’ll need to make some adjustments when it comes to consuming flavored water. You can do this by:
- Occasionally drinking it. Instead of making it your primary source of hydration, drink a glass only once or twice a week at most. When you do, rinse your mouth with regular water afterward, and be sure to maintain a good oral hygiene routine at home.
- Avoid brushing your teeth immediately after. As soon as you’re done consuming a glass of flavored water, do not immediately start brushing your teeth. The reason is that the motion of the soft bristles mixed with the acids can hurry the erosion process, breaking down your tooth enamel much faster. Instead, wait at least 20-30 minutes before brushing.
- Use a straw. When consuming flavored water, use a straw to minimize the amount of contact between the liquid and your teeth. Although it’s not 100% effective, it will minimize the potential damage while allowing you to enjoy a different kind of taste.
- Consume dairy. Whether it’s drinking milk, eating cheese, or snacking on yogurt, ingesting plenty of calcium throughout the day can help harden your enamel. The calcium found in these products serves to boost your bone strength, so it is more difficult for harmful acids to cause erosion.
Enjoying flavored water once in a while is not a bad thing, but you shouldn’t make it a normal part of your daily diet. Be mindful of your consumption and expect to enjoy a healthier smile in the process.
About the Practice
Elmbrook Family Dental cares about the health and longevity of each person’s smile. This is why we emphasize the importance of preventive care. We also believe patients should be educated on ways to minimize the risk of dental damage, such as enamel erosion. As a result, our dentists are eager to provide helpful tips and valuable resources to help improve nutrition, at-home oral hygiene routine, and lifestyle habits. If you want to know which foods and beverages are good and bad for your teeth, visit our website.