If you notice that your mouth is not producing much saliva frequently, then it might be dry mouth. Dry mouth can be bad as the saliva in our mouth is necessary for many tasks as well as a line of defense against bacteria. Although it can appear at any point in our lives, these symptoms are usually a side-effect.
If you are curious what dry mouth is, what causes it, the symptoms, and what to do in order to fight and prevent it, then you are in the right place! We have gathered some information from Los Algodones dentists regarding this, so we will share it with you:
What is dry mouth
Dry mouth is also known by its medical term xerostomia. This means that the body is producing less saliva than it should be. This is usually linked with your saliva glands.
As your body produces less saliva, it brings complications through daily life:
- Trouble speaking.
- Eating and swallowing food.
- Wearing denture.
- Sore throats and hoarseness.
- Bad breath.
- And less saliva to deal with bacteria.
As you see, saliva is very helpful at keeping the mouth protected against bacteria. It halts the bacteria as well as help remineralize the tooth enamel. By having a good saliva production, problems such as tooth decay and gum disease are way less likely to happen.
What causes dry mouth
We mentioned before how dry mouth is rare to appear without having anything else to trigger it. As such, these are the most common possibilities for it to appear:
- The body needs water in order to keep everything in order. By not drinking plenty of water, the body will not have enough resources to provide enough saliva.
- Side-effect of certain medications. It doesn’t matter if they are prescription or OTC, they might trigger dry mouth on the person. Medications such as for depression, pain, anxiety, acne, allergies, nausea, diarrhea, hypertension are all able to cause dry mouth.
- Certain diseases and syndromes. It could be caused by Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes or even autoimmune diseases.
- Tobacco products. The use of tobacco and cigarettes are known to leave the mouth dry.
- Nerve damage. Receiving a hit to the head or neck, and thus damaging a nerve, might be the cause as well.
- Old age. As we grow old, it is common to start experiencing dry mouth often, which is why drinking water becomes very important. Not only does it help, but also keeps tooth decay away.
How can we prevent it
As dry mouth can be detrimental to our dental health, it has to be stopped! For this, Los Algodones dentists recommend these tips to help against it:
- Keep yourself hydrated. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day works like a charm for this. Also, if it is tap water, then you will be driving tooth decay away as well!
- Sugarless gums and candies can do the trick. This prompts your body to start producing more saliva. Since they are sugarless, you are not threatening your teeth with the sticky sugar.
- Avoid coffee and drinks with caffeine. Caffeine is known to cause dryness in the mouth. Watch out for coffee, sodas and some teas.
- If it is a side-effect of medication, then talk to your doctor or physician. Chances are that they can be swapped to an alternative that does not cause much dry mouth.
- Relax! Sometimes, situations where we are too stressed and/or anxious can make us have dry mouth. Make sure to drink plenty of water and be calm as things can be solved.