Dry Mouth and Dental Care

Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a condition that is caused by inadequate saliva production. Saliva is your mouth’s primary tool for maintaining healthy gums and preventing against tooth decay, so it’s easy to see how problems can develop if you have a chronically dry mouth.

That being said, there are a number of different ways you can treat dry mouth and prevent against tooth and gum problems. Here’s a look at why you should treat the condition, and how to best treat dry mouth.

Why Treat Dry Mouth?

You might think that dry mouth is just a mild annoyance that you have to live with, but it’s much more than that. Saliva is actually a mineral-rich solution that works to clean and protect your teeth. When saliva is in short supply, you are at an increased risk of plaque formation. This plaque can damage your gum line, lead to tooth decay, or cause gingivitis.

Dry mouth can be caused by a number of different issues. For example, it can be a symptom of Sjogren’s syndrome, which is a chronic autoimmune disorder where your body mistakenly attacks its own moisture-producing glands. Other causes of dry mouth include smoking, complications with certain medications, or the after effects of radiation treatment, which can damage your salivary glands.

How To Treat Dry Mouth

Your dentist can help you pinpoint your cause of dry mouth as well as offer solutions to fix the problem. Knowing the causes of dry mouth, your dentist may ask about your smoking or medication habits. Medications for blood pressure regulation and chronic pain are among the many medications whose side effects include dry mouth, so if your dentist believes they may be contributing to plaque buildup, talk to your primary care doctor about the possibility of changing medications. Changing these preventable causes of dry mouth are the easiest fixes for the problem.

That being said, if your dry mouth is caused by Sjorgen’s syndrome or another condition that can’t be cured with simple adjustments, you have to focus on lifestyle changes that will help alleviate symptoms. For example, some treatment options to combat dry mouth include:

• Increasing your Vitamin D intake.
• Drinking plenty of fluids.
• Using a humidifier at night.
• Avoid drinks with caffeine.
• Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless hard citrus-flavored candy to increase saliva production.
• Add mouthwash to your daily routine to fight against plaque buildup.

Talk to your dentist about other products or dry mouth mitigation techniques to incorporate into your daily life. Dry mouth is one of the most common conditions we see that leads to the need for dental work. Left untreated, severe mouth problems can develop, so if you’re experiencing dry mouth, do yourself a favor and bring it up to your dentist the next time you’re in their office. They’ll be more than happy to help you find some solutions so your mouth can produce the correct levels of saliva and protect your teeth and gums. For more information about dry mouth or your treatment options, reach out to Dr. Brooks’ office today.