Water Between Drinks

What water does while you drink

Every sip of a cocktail, beer or wine leaves a thin film of sugar, acid or both on your teeth. Saliva normally clears that film, but alcohol can leave the mouth feeling dry, so the film lingers longer than it would with an ordinary drink.

A swallow of plain water works as a quick rinse. It will not make your teeth immune to the drink, but it reduces how long the residue sits on the surface, and that is the part you can easily control during a night out.

Which water works best?

Plain tap or bottled still water is the simplest option. It carries no sugar and is not acidic, and in many places tap water also contains fluoride, which dental organizations generally view as helpful for teeth.

Sparkling water is a gray area. Plain carbonated water is slightly acidic, though much less so than most soft drinks or cocktails. Flavored versions, tonic and anything with citrus added can be more acidic or contain sugar, so check the label if you rely on them.

Easy ways to build the habit

The habit sticks when it takes no thought. Order water with your first drink so it is already on the table, and treat it as part of the round rather than a penalty.

A few small tricks make it easier, especially at crowded events where getting a refill is a hassle:

• Ask for a glass of water whenever you order a drink.
• Alternate one water per alcoholic drink if that suits you.
• Keep a glass beside you at dinner and sip between courses.
• Finish the evening with a full glass before you head home.

Should you swish or just sip?

Either is fine. Swishing a mouthful gently around your teeth for a few seconds before swallowing does a little more rinsing than a plain gulp, and nobody will notice at a table.

Skip anything that feels like scrubbing at the bar. Water is a rinse, not a cleaner, so the goal is simply to move sugar and acid along. Real cleaning still comes from brushing with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between your teeth at home.

What water cannot do

Water does not neutralize the acid in a drink or repair enamel that has been softened, and it cannot stand in for the basics dental organizations commonly advise: brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between the teeth daily and seeing a dentist regularly.

If you notice sensitivity to cold or sweet things, a mouth that stays dry, or teeth that look thinner or more yellow, bring it up with your dentist. They can check what is going on and tell you what suits your teeth.

Where supplements fit, if at all

Some readers wonder about oral probiotic supplements. ProDentim is one example; the seller describes it as a chewable oral probiotic, lists three named strains and a total of 3.5 billion organisms, and does not show per-strain amounts. Those are the seller's statements and we have not verified them.

Research on oral probiotics is still developing and the evidence is limited or mixed, so this is an optional extra at most, never a substitute for water, brushing or your dentist. Anyone who is pregnant, nursing, taking medicine or managing a health condition should ask a dentist, doctor or pharmacist first.

Questions readers ask