Does Dry Mouth Cause Other Dental Problems?

If you are like most people then you probably have experienced dry mouth at some point in your life. Perhaps you were really thirsty or it was just a hot day. This type of dry mouth is common and possess no real dental concern. However, there is such a thing as chronic dry mouth.  This has far greater dental health problems then you might expect. This is not a disease but rather a side effect of many different medications, other diseases, and various medical treatments. Saliva plays a bigger role in dental care than most people think and understanding its role will prevent dental problems caused by dry mouth.

Your saliva is not only used to moisten the areas in your mouth but also to keep your teeth healthy. It accomplishes this by cleansing the teeth of leftover food particles and remineralizes the teeth from acidic foods. Without saliva, tooth decay would be rampant. In addition, dry mouth can also cause bad breath, denture soreness, and make eating and talking difficult. Practicing good oral hygiene is important if you have dry mouth, as well as routine dental exams. Using a toothpaste containing fluoride or a fluoride rinse from your dentist will also help remineralize your teeth and fight the bacteria caused by dry mouth.

Avoiding sugary and acidic foods will also slow the growth of bacteria in your mouth as these will cause tooth decay. Different mouthwashes can also help moisten your mouth and replenish it. Our office routinely prescribes a product called Biotene, which comes in a mouth spray or a gel. We have seen these products work really well for most of our patients with this condition. The mouth spray offers immediate relief for several hours and the gel offers protection from dryness throughout the night.


Our office is always here for questions regarding this or any other dental concern. You can call us or find more information on our website. We not only care about our patient's current dental problems but we also educate them on how to prevent future ones. With this information, if you have been experiencing dry mouth you now have a few options to research. 

Comments

Popular Posts