Oral Health Benefits of Staying Hydrated

By staying hydrated

With warm days ahead, how much water will you drink to stay hydrated? How much you need depends on your activities and the temperature you are in. The rule of 8- 8 ounce glasses may not be enough water if you are running or hiking in the heat.  Recently, I rafted down the Colorado River, camping along the way over five days. The canyon walls did not offer much shade, so most of the time we were in the sun. The air is very dry, even on the river. Although I was drinking water and diet soda, I noticed my lips and eyes were dryer and started to drink more water.  Here is the information I wanted to pass along this month to help you make good decisions about what drinks to choose while you are enjoying your July! This information is about acidity levels of drinks because that is what mostly affects the tooth structure. Generally, the more you drink on hot days, the better. But WHAT you drink should be a smart choice too.

Laboratory experiments show that tooth enamel can begin to dissolve at pH levels of 5.5 and below. Water is 7.3 pH

Milk is 6.7 pH

Root Beer is 3.8-4.0 pH

White Wine, Orange juice, Diet Lemon Lime Soda are 3.7 pH

Apple Juice is 3.5 pH

Grapefruit Juice is 3.1-3.2 pH

Sports Drinks 2.3-4.4 pH (these are approx. and can differ)

Wine 2.3-3.8 pH

Lemon Juice is 2.0 – 2.6 pH

As you can see, many of the sodas we drink are highly acidic which can lead to erosion of enamel. Some sports drinks and energy drinks are even higher in acidity.  I recommend that patients rinse their mouth with water after drinking these drinks and try to drink lots of water too.

Have a great summer!

By Pam Funk, BS, RDH