{"id":69,"date":"2022-06-04T23:25:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-04T23:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.timessquarefamilydental.com\/blog\/?p=69"},"modified":"2022-07-18T23:27:54","modified_gmt":"2022-07-18T23:27:54","slug":"watch-out-for-signs-of-dehydration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.timessquarefamilydental.com\/blog\/2022\/06\/04\/watch-out-for-signs-of-dehydration\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch Out for These Sneaky Signs of Dehydration This Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What\u2019s on your to-do list this summer? Are you planning to spend your days out and about, enjoying the nice warm weather? Or are you a fan of relaxing and lounging by the poolside? No matter what you\u2019ve got going on this season, something you\u2019ll want to do is drink enough water! Not only is drinking enough water crucial for staying hydrated, but it also greatly benefits your oral health. That said, sometimes the signs of dehydration aren\u2019t always obvious. Keep reading to learn more from your dentist<\/a> about the importance of hydration and some of the hard-to-detect signs of dehydration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Why Hydration Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your body is mostly water\u2014so it makes sense that water is the absolute best beverage for it! But hydration also specifically benefits your teeth, gums, and whole mouth in many ways, the primary one being the production of saliva. Your saliva is important; it helps to neutralize the cavity-causing acids that are produced by bacteria. It also helps to rinse away lingering food particles that remain after you eat. Without enough saliva, your mouth won\u2019t just feel dry; it\u2019s also very vulnerable to tooth decay, gum disease, and all sorts of oral health problems. Not to mention, drinking enough water also keeps your breath fresh!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seven Sneaky Signs of Dehydration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By the time you feel thirsty, you\u2019re often already dehydrated! But thirst isn\u2019t the only symptom of dehydration. Here are seven more hard-to-detect signs that you should keep an eye out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Bad breath\/dry mouth<\/strong> \u2013 Bacteria can thrive in your mouth if there isn\u2019t enough saliva present, causing dry mouth and accompanying bad breath, and sometimes even mouth sores.<\/li>
  2. Headaches <\/strong>\u2013 Even mild dehydration can lead to headaches or sometimes migraines.<\/li>
  3. Flu-like symptoms<\/strong> \u2013 You can experience lightheadedness, nausea, fever, chills, or other cold\/flu-like symptoms if you\u2019re severely dehydrated.<\/li>
  4. Fatigue<\/strong> \u2013 You might also feel unenergetic and also unable to get good sleep.<\/li>
  5. Hunger<\/strong> \u2013 Since the same part of your brain that controls hunger also controls thirst, you can sometimes feel hungry again after eating\u2014but this is usually a sign that you need to drink some water!<\/li>
  6. Muscle Cramps<\/strong> \u2013 Even walking around on a hot day can lead to a painful muscle cramp if you\u2019re dehydrated.<\/li>
  7. Dark-Colored Urine<\/strong> \u2013 Clear, pale-yellow urine indicates you\u2019re properly hydrated. If your urine is a darker shade of yellow, you should drink some water.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Tips for Staying Properly Hydrated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    There\u2019s no set requirement for how much water you should drink throughout the day; simply drink when you\u2019re thirsty and stop when you\u2019re not! That said, consider these tips to ensure that you\u2019re adequately hydrated all the time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n