(Note: Since our office was closed last week, we thought we would double up on the blog entries this week. Enjoy!)
Most of us know how important it is to take in enough water during the day. Keeping well hydrated is very important for overall health, and it is likewise important for your dental health. If one drinks enough water, his or her body can create enough saliva to hydrate the oral cavity sufficiently. Having adequate saliva is healthy for the soft tissues, and it is vital in fighting cavities.
Much talk has occurred lately from an environmental standpoint about avoiding the use of so many plastic water bottles for drinking water since plastic takes so long to break down in landfills. Something else to think about when choosing a source for water is the fluoride content of the water--and most bottled water contains far below the 0.7ppm fluoride recommended to help keep teeth healthy. So, we do not recommend getting the majority of your water from plastic bottles.
Another issue can be with filtered water. Some types of water filters are well known to greatly reduce the amount of fluoride in your water. The amount of fluoride reduction on filtration varies greatly with each manufacturer, so be sure to check that the filtration you choose does not deprive you of something that is so vital for the strength of your teeth.
Also, make sure to drink enough water. The amount of water you need may vary greatly depending on your activity levels, but many experts recommend drinking at least 1/2 a gallon of water a day.
