Hydration
“How do we keep hydrated whilst looking after our mouth’s health?”
Keep the flow
Keeping hydrated is so important for our general health and oral health too. Our oral microbiome is surrounded by our secret agent saliva and keeping hydrated helps maintain healthy saliva flow. A dry mouth or reduced saliva flow, caused by stress, snoring and mouth breathing, along with several medical conditions and medication, can cause an imbalance in our oral microbiome and increase the risk of dental disease.
Healthy Hydration
Sipping water regularly and finding ways to jazz up water, whilst being mindful of ‘free sugars’ in fruit juices and smoothies, will make for happier, healthier mouths. So try a ribbon of cucumber or a sprig of mint to make your water a winner… limit your citric fruit additions due to their acidity and erosive effect on your teeth. Remember that all carbonated drinks are acidic too, so moderation is key when it comes to looking after your teeth.
Alcohol and Caffeine
Being mindful of your intake of alcohol will help avoid regular drinking habits, that are potentially damaging to your oral health and full body health. Alcohol, especially in combination with smoking, is strongly linked to mouth cancers. Alcohol and caffeine also affect your sleep quality and therefore increase stress, impacting your mouth and body.
Try some non-alcoholic alternatives and consider keeping caffeine at bay after noon…
