{"id":488,"date":"2026-07-24T12:55:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T12:55:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/?p=488"},"modified":"2026-07-24T12:55:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T12:55:48","slug":"4-signs-of-dehydration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/24\/4-signs-of-dehydration\/","title":{"rendered":"Heat Advisory: 4 Sneaky Signs You Could be Dehydrated"},"content":{"rendered":"
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With temperatures soaring and breaking records around the world, it has never been more important to stay hydrated. Drinking water can help reduce your risk of serious conditions including dehydration and heat stroke, all the while protecting your oral health<\/a>, too. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not always easy to tell your body needs water. Here are four sneaky ways it could be asking you for help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Unexpected Hunger<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the day, it\u2019s easy to recognize when you\u2019re feeling hungry. In fact, even if you don\u2019t feel pangs, most people tend to eat around the same time each day. However, if you find yourself wanting food between meals when you usually don\u2019t, or if you\u2019re ready for your regularly scheduled meal early, it could be due to dehydration. That\u2019s because the hypothalamus, the area of your brain that signals the body you\u2019re thirsty, is the same area that notifies you that you\u2019re hungry! Thus, if you\u2019re feeling unexpectedly famished, it could actually mean you need to drink some water!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Muscle Cramps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Muscle cramps can be incredibly painful, and powerful enough to wake you from sleep. If your body is dehydrated, these sharp, shooting spasms could be a symptom. That\u2019s because when you\u2019re lacking essential hydration, your body\u2019s supply of electrolytes becomes depleted, resulting in aches and painful stiffness. These cramps can be especially common among athletes and those who spend time performing strenuous physical activity in the heat, so be sure to drink plenty of water if you\u2019re exerting yourself this summer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Headaches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It may sound weird, but believe it or not, your brain tissue can temporarily shrink when you\u2019re dehydrated, resulting in painful headaches. The good news is that drinking plenty of fluids this summer can help prevent this painful side-effect and can even help reverse a dehydration headache that\u2019s already started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dry Mouth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Saliva is an essential substance for keeping your teeth and gums healthy. It helps wash away food particles and bacteria and even aids your body\u2019s digestion system. However, when you\u2019re dehydrated, it can affect your saliva levels, causing dry mouth. Although it may not seem<\/em> that dangerous, this can create the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive, increasing your risk of oral health problems like bad breath, cavities, and even gum disease. Thus, if you notice your mouth isn\u2019t feeling as moist as it should be, listen to your body and grab a glass of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember, while you may not always be aware of what\u2019s going on inside, your body has many ways to indicate it needs hydration, and with record high temperatures registered around the world this summer, it\u2019s important to be on the lookout for them. Thus, be sure to keep plenty of water on hand and stay out of excessive heat whenever possible to protect your oral and overall health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Dr. Cowell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Christoper Cowell<\/a> earned his undergraduate degree at Stetson University and his dental degree at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. He is a proud, active member of a variety of prestigious oral health organizations, including the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association, American College of Dentists, and the International College of Dentists. To schedule your exam and cleaning, visit our website<\/a> or call us today at 386-734-8585.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With temperatures soaring and breaking records around the world, it has never been more important to stay hydrated. Drinking water can help reduce your risk of serious conditions including dehydration and heat stroke, all the while protecting your oral health, too. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not always easy to tell your body needs water. Here are four […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-488","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/488","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=488"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/488\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":490,"href":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/488\/revisions\/490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=488"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=488"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cowelldental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}