Most of us tend to take saliva for granted until we realize we aren’t producing enough, creating a condition called dry mouth or xerostomia. If you have xerostomia, you cannot produce enough saliva to keep your mouth clean, fresh, and comfortable. Consequently, your mouth can feel parched, your lips may become cracked, and you could develop bad breath.
Why We All Need Saliva
Saliva is extremely important for oral health and digestion. When you have plenty of saliva, it helps wash away harmful bacteria and loose particles of food and generally maintains a more neutral pH in your mouth, helping prevent diseases like gum disease and tooth decay. Also, saliva contains digestive enzymes, so as you bite and chew food, it helps to moisten the food and begins to break it down more effectively. Although xerostomia may not be a serious condition, it can be unpleasant and may be a symptom of an undiagnosed medical problem that needs treatment.
What Can Cause Dry Mouth?
Lots of things can cause dry mouth, and sometimes it’s just a case of simple dehydration, especially during warmer weather when you might not drink enough water for your body to produce adequate saliva. Other causes include stress and anxiety, smoking. Some medications, including antihistamines and antidepressants, can cause xerostomia. It can also be due to disorders affecting the autoimmune system, such as Sjogren’s syndrome. Sometimes it’s just part of aging or can occur if you receive radiation therapy for your head or neck area. Other health conditions that can cause dry mouth include diabetes, oral thrush, HIV and AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, and cystic fibrosis.
How to Cope with Dry Mouth
If you are concerned you have dry mouth, it’s worth discussing this with our dentist next time you visit West Bowmanville Family Dental. We can examine your teeth and gums to assess if the condition is affecting your oral health. If necessary, we may recommend more regular checkups and dental cleanings in Newcastle, as when your mouth is drier, harmful bacteria can thrive.
Professionally cleaning your teeth more frequently can get rid of plaque and calculus buildup, helping you maintain good oral health more easily. It’s also important to make sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss daily. Our dental team in Clarington can also advise you on suitable toothpaste and mouth rinse to help maintain optimal oral health.
There are quite a few other things you can do to cope with dry mouth, such as using a saliva substitute that we can prescribe or is available over the counter. Make sure you sip water frequently, or you can suck on ice cubes or ice chips. Some people find it helpful to chew sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free candies to help stimulate saliva flow. Your mouth is naturally drier when you sleep, so you could try using a humidifier in your bedroom to keep the air moister. Finally, adjusting your diet can be useful, such as reducing your sugar and salt consumption and avoiding diuretics like caffeine and alcohol.
Following a good professional preventive dental care plan in Courtice and maintaining good oral care at home should help you avoid oral health problems and ensure your mouth feels more comfortable.
Other Things to Try
If you take prescription medications and suspect they could be causing your dry mouth, you could try talking to your GP. They might be able to adjust the dosage or medication to minimize this side effect. However, please don’t try to adjust the dosage yourself or stop taking any medication without talking to your doctor first.
