The whole body suffers when it’s dehydrated. In fact, a lack of necessary fluids can be devastating to your oral health over time. However, there are some signs of dehydration that a lot of people might miss. Here are some subtle signals that you need water, some dental consequences of going thirsty, and some tips from your dentist on staying hydrated.
Subtle Signs of Dehydration
You should not rely solely on your sense of thirst to tell you that you need water. Here are some easily missed signs that you might need some H2O:
Dry mouth, bad breath
When your body’s short on water, it tends to cut your spit production. Saliva works to lubricate your mouth and flush out food particles and bacteria. Without it, the bacteria can quickly multiply, leaving you with foul breath and at an increased risk of oral health issues.
Muscle cramps and spasms
Experts believe that dehydration and the loss of electrolytes cause muscle cramps, due to the lack of lubricant and nervous system regulation. This can result in tightness or painful spasms.
Headache
A lack of water can cause brain tissue to temporarily shrink. Mild to moderate dehydration can cause headaches that vary from annoying to severe.
Dark urine
Ideally, urine is light yellow. If it is a deep or dark yellow, that could be a sign your body has insufficient water to flush itself. If it is too clear, you might be overhydrated.
Hunger
Your body gets a lot of water from the food you eat. Also, many thirst and hunger signals come from the same part of the brain. It’s not too hard to get the two confused.
Fatigue
If your body doesn’t have the water to run efficiently, it’s going to get weary faster because it must expend more energy. Fatigue can result when your body has insufficient water to distribute its nutrients or run bodily functions smoothly.
Feeling ill
Dehydration can lead to fever, chills, nausea, or lightheadedness. You might feel like you caught something, but the truth might be that you just need to drink some water.
The Dental Damage of Dehydration
By working to lubricate the mouth, saliva protects your teeth from wear while it flushes food particles, sugary residues, and bacteria away. Food particles and sugary residues stuck in the mouth allow acid-excreting bacteria to multiply. This accumulation of acid will accelerate tooth decay.
How to Stay Hydrated
The body likes its internal environment to stay constant. Just like it wouldn’t like to take fifty-second breaks from breathing every ten minutes, it doesn’t want to go through several spells of dehydration throughout the day. Keep water on hand and drink it at regular intervals. Thirst often occurs at the point of mild dehydration, so if you are thirsty, drink water as soon as possible.
It’s important to make hydration a habit, especially when it’s hot out. By being aware of the less recognized signs of dehydration, you stand to stay healthy enough to have fun during the summer months and all year round.
About the Practice
Advanced Dental Concepts serves the community of Portage, IN. Led by Drs. Danny Hayes, DMD, Shane Harmon, DDS, and Uyen Vu, DDS, the practice forges lasting relationships by earning trust through compassion, dedication, and competence in the latest dental methods. Services include preventative, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry,. If you’re curious about the dental benefits of staying hydrated, contact the office online or at (219) 763-6878.