Getting Cavities When You Only Drink Water? Here's What to Check

You brush, you floss, and you'd tell anyone that water is all you drink. Then a checkup turns up a new cavity, and it doesn't add up. When Dr. Tatum asks a patient, "What do you drink during your day for hydration?" the answer is often just water. A few more questions usually tell a different story. Below is what we look for when cavities keep showing up, and what you can change at home.

Why am I getting cavities if I only drink water?

Often there's something else in the bottle. When Dr. Tatum asks a little more, she finds patients adding electrolyte powder, lemon juice or vinegar to their water, or sipping seltzers that have flavorings and acid in them. In her words, "we are seeing an overwhelming amount of cavities".

Acid is the common thread. When a tooth is repeatedly exposed to acid, the enamel loses minerals, and that's how decay gets its start. The word that matters is repeatedly. A bottle you sip from morning to evening means your teeth meet that acid over and over, all day long, instead of once with a meal.

So the habit that feels healthiest, carrying a drink everywhere and sipping constantly, can work against you when there's something acidic in the bottle.

Are flavored and sparkling waters bad for your teeth?

They can be, depending on what's in them and how you drink them. Dr. Tatum's concern is the flavorings and acid in many seltzers and flavored waters, along with add-ins like lemon and electrolyte mixes. You can keep the drinks you enjoy with a few small changes:

• Have the flavored drink in one sitting instead of sipping it all afternoon.
• Keep plain water as your go-to between meals.
• Check the label on electrolyte packets and flavored waters for added acids such as citric acid.
• Tell us exactly what goes into your bottle at your visit, so we can connect the dots with what we see on your teeth.

Knowing what's in the cup helps your brushing and flossing do their job.

Can breathing through your mouth cause cavities?

It can make them more likely. Saliva carries minerals that help keep teeth strong, and dry mouth increases the risk of tooth decay. Snoring and breathing through your mouth are common reasons a mouth dries out, especially overnight.

Dr. Tatum explains it simply. When you breathe through your mouth at night, "your mouth dries out and you get more cavities". If you wake up with a dry mouth, or someone has told you that you snore, mention it to us. It may be part of the cavity story.

That's one reason we look at your whole mouth, beyond the one tooth that's bothering you. Our digital scanning and 3D imaging show us your airway and bite in ways traditional X-rays can't. Dr. Granger sometimes asks patients how they sleep at night for the same reason: she starts with a broad view of your overall health, then narrows in from there.

What should I do if I keep getting new cavities?

Come in and let's look at the whole picture together. One cavity is a repair. A pattern of them deserves an answer, and the fix might be a change in what you drink or how you sleep along with the filling.

We reserve two hours for your first visit, so there's time to talk through what you eat and drink, how you're sleeping and what's changed lately. We put what we see on the screen, talk with you, and decide together what to do now and what can wait. There's no judgment about how long it's been since your last checkup.

Our Charleston dental office is on Courtenay Drive in the Charleston Medical District, near MUSC, with easy access from West Ashley, Mount Pleasant and North Charleston. We also keep select Saturday hours for people whose weeks are already full. You can read more about our general dentistry, cleanings and checkups in Charleston, SC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can flavored water cause cavities?

It can. Many seltzers and flavored waters have flavorings and acid in them, and sipping them all day means your teeth meet that acid over and over.

Does adding lemon to my water hurt my teeth?

Lemon juice adds acid to your water. If you enjoy it, have it in one sitting instead of sipping it all afternoon, and keep plain water as your go-to between meals.

Can dry mouth cause cavities?

Yes, dry mouth increases the risk of tooth decay. Snoring and breathing through your mouth at night are common reasons a mouth dries out.

How long is a first visit at Tatum Dentistry?

We reserve two hours for your first visit, so there's time to talk through what you eat and drink, how you're sleeping and what's changed lately.

If new cavities keep turning up at your checkups, call us at 843-577-6453 or send us a message to schedule a visit. Bring your water bottle, or at least tell us what's in it. We'll figure it out with you.

Published by Tatum Dentistry.