It's a secret to none that water is a vital nutrient needed to support our bodily functions, but while the majority of us consider it a healthy and completely harmless source of hydration, one dentist claims drinking it throughout the day can actually ruin your teeth.
Dr. Ellie Phillips, who frequently shares oral health hacks to her 380,000 followers on TikTok, revealed exactly how much water we should be drinking in a day to maintain the health of our teeth. The Austin, Texas-based dentist explained why it was vital to drink water - or any other liquid - in intervals to give your saliva enough time to interact with your gums.
In a video captioned 'Sipping water throughout the day? Rethink this practice', Dr Ellie says: "This is why sipping on water all throughout the day is not good for your teeth. And this applies to all liquids." She further explained: "The spit or the saliva that comes into your mouth is the mouth's most healing liquid. It can help heal your teeth because it's full of all the minerals that your teeth need and there are also cells and immune cells and proteins that are necessary for gum healing."
Dr Ellie told her followers that both your teeth and gums must have enough time to interact with the saliva if you want healthy teeth. She said continuously sipping on water dilutes your saliva, meaning it becomes stripped of the proteins and can no longer help you.
Dr Ellie says it is vital to drink water - or any other liquid - in intervals
Dr Ellie say our teeth and gums must have enough time to interact with the saliva (Getty Images/iStockphoto)"This is why people who sip liquids all day have sensitive teeth, gum recession, cracked enamel, their teeth are weak, they break, they think they need night guards and retainers. What they need is to give their own saliva time, adequate time to interact with their teeth and gums." Dr. Ellie also told those who breathe through their mouths to make the effort to keep their mouths closed during the daytime.
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She added: "If you can, close your mouth and lick your teeth, if your front teeth feel dry and allow your own healing liquid in your mouth, it's free, you don't have to go anywhere and buy it. You don't have to have dental insurance, just give your mouth time to interact with the saliva that's coming into your mouth."
The oral health expert revealed there were ways to boost your levels of saliva. She explained: "Now, you can make that saliva more healing by what you eat and what you drink. You want to drink enough, so drink at meal times, or some other time, but drink more at more limited times during the day and then have an interval between eating and drinking before you do that again. Leave your saliva to interact undiluted with your gums and your teeth."
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