In short, yes. It is harmful to your entire body, but it is particularly harmful to your oral health. There are some immediate signs that point to dehydration in your body, including dry mouth, dark urination, headaches, and increased dental discomfort. By keeping yourself hydrated, you can relieve all of these concerns and return to your life without these issues. Dehydration and Your Mouth
Your mouth operates its self-cleaning routine by taking saliva and using it to both protect and clean your gums and teeth. When you begin to dehydrate, your saliva production dramatically decreases in response to your body believing it needs to save water. This means that your mouth becomes accessible to bacteria which it used to be protected from. This bacterium can build up in the form of plaque and tooth decay—leading to cavities and gum disease. Lack of saliva can also make your enamel less strong, contributing to these irritations.
Dehydration can come from a large number of sources, from sleep apnea to mouth breathing, working out, or just not drinking enough water (including in the winter). However, it takes under an hour to return to full hydration after beginning to feel the symptoms. Drinking water is the best way to hydrate, but you can also drink decaffeinated teas or decaffeinated coffee, although we would caution against drinking it as a substitute for water.
Contact Us if You Begin to Feel Discomfort
Continuous dehydration can result in oral discomfort and a necessary trip to see us. If you or a loved one is experiencing any sort of discomfort that you believe is related to a dehydration problem, you can give us a call to schedule an appointment, or you can contact us for more information about dehydration and what it does to your oral health.
