For today’s oral health tip I’m going to discuss the importance of drinking H2O. By now, you should all know how incredible water is. There are countless benefits that it has for your body, but did you know it is good for your mouth too?
Water has a pH of 7 and that just happens to be the pH your mouth works best at. Anything more basic or acidic will lead to decay and other issues.
Whenever you eat or drink your mouth fluctuates in pH level. I was taught in school that it takes your mouth 20-30 minutes to get back to a neutral level once you eat or drink. If you're sipping on Diet Coke or other acidic drinks all day long your mouth is never getting a chance to recover. When it is at that acidic state all day you're putting yourself on the fast track for decay.
We have a lot of parents come in to the office and they’re confused as to why their child has all of these cavities even though their kids brush their teeth. Most times the decay is because of the juice and sports drinks that they are consuming.
Most pop, juice, and coffee have a pH of less than 5 and your enamel begins to dissolve at 5.5. Skipping these beverages and opting for water will be beneficial to your body and your mouth.
I know most of us like to indulge in these beverages. So if you decide to have that pop make sure that you aren't sipping it all day long and have a glass of water afterward. It will not only get you hydrated, but it will also level your pH.
Here is a list of the pH level of
some common beverages:
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| Photo Credit: Prevent Disease
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