Nearly everyone knows that sugar is bad for teeth due to its ability to increase dental plaque and cause dental decay, and that most dentists recommend sticking with sugar-free drinks as a result. You might be interested to know that there are even more steps you can take to improve your oral health at home without having to give up the favorite drinks you're already enjoying.

Make Tea at Home

If you enjoy tea, you should have as much of it as you like made at home. Whether you drink it cold or hot, green tea has been shown to be beneficial to oral health. In addition to reducing your risk of tooth decay and gum disease, it can even help to prevent oral cancer.

The trick to making your tea healthy is to use regular tap water and to not add any sugar. Sugar substitutes are perfectly fine, especially xylitol, which can help to improve oral health. Using regular tap water will add fluoride to your tea, which will help to boost the strength of your teeth.

Beverage Mixes

Another good choice is to stop buying beverages in bottles or cans and to make them yourself with a mix. Many beverage companies now manufacture powders that you can add to water so you can make it at home or while you're out and about. In addition to saving some money, the advantage of using these powders instead of buying a pre-mixed product is, again, the fluoride in your water.

Drinking fluoride regularly can make a big difference in strengthening the enamel of your teeth. While a sugar-free, pre-mixed beverage won't do any damage to your mouth, drinking a homemade one with fluoride in it will give you an extra boost.

Soda Maker

Lastly, if you're really fond of soda, don't overlook the potential of a soda maker. Many soda makers are designed to use standard tap water and infuse it with carbonation to give you the bubbly fizziness that you love in sodas. If you stick with a sugar-free variety or just sparkling water, there's no harm done to your mouth. However, once again, using the water from your own tap will give you the bonus of fluoride.

It's easy to boost your oral health by slightly altering how you drink your favorite beverages. Rather than changing your habits or sacrificing your favorite drinks, make them at home for the added fluoride boost. Talk to a dentist, like those represented at http://www.davidjacksondds.com, for more information.