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3 Ways Over-Hydration Can Hurt The Mouth

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While drinking plenty of water every day can help prevent dehydration, drinking too much water can lead to over-hydration. Not only can over-hydration lead to water intoxication, it can also cause problems with the teeth and gums. Here are three ways over-hydration can hurt your or your child's oral cavity and what you can do about them:

Dental Spots

If your child drinks too much tap water throughout the day, then he or she may be at a heightened risk for fluorosis. This condition can cause spots, lines, or streaks on the teeth, and is caused by ingesting too much fluoride when the teeth and gums are forming in childhood.

If you or your child has fluoride stains on your adult teeth, make an appointment with your dental office. There, the dental professional can suggest ways to cosmetically improve the appearance of the teeth, such as laser bleaching, bonding, and porcelain veneers. 

Tooth Loss

Drinking too much water can cause nutritional deficiencies because over-hydration can cause frequent urination, which can flush out vitamins and minerals from your body. If you become deficient in calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, or potassium, your teeth, and the bones that support your teeth, may weaken.

This can cause your teeth to loosen, and in some cases, lead to tooth loss. Nutritional deficiencies, especially vitamin C deficiencies, can cause problems with your gums such as inflammation and bleeding.

You need adequate vitamin C in your body to support optimal collagen formation. If you are deficient in vitamin C, the collagen in your gum tissue may weaken, leading to severe gum disease. If you feel that you drink too much water and are noticing dental problems, see your dentist and physician right away. If it is determined that you have a nutritional deficiency, your doctor may recommend that you take a vitamin and mineral supplement to correct it. 

Sore Tongue

You may also experience a sore tongue as a result of drinking too much water. This can happen when your B vitamins are flushed out of your body as a result of over-hydration. When this happens, your tongue may take on a smooth, deep red appearance.

This condition is also known as glossitis, and in addition to appearance changes, your tongue may burn or feel sore. If your tongue becomes dark red and looks smooth, see your dentist. You may need to take an over-the-counter B vitamin supplement to replace lost nutrients.

Once your B vitamin stores have been replaced through supplementation, your tongue abnormalities will revert back to normal. In the meantime, talk to your dentist about recommending an enzyme-based oral rinse to help sooth irritated tongue tissue and to help reduce oral inflammation. 

If you or your child develops oral problems as a result of drinking too much water, make an appointment with your dentist office


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