Prevent Dry Mouth to Protect Your Teeth and Gums

For some people, dry mouth (xerostomia) is merely an occasional annoyance. For others, it’s persistent enough to jeopardize their oral health. Dry mouth can cause difficulty eating and swallowing, bad breath, and irritation and infection of the mouth tissues. It also raises the risk for tooth decay and gum disease. A shortage of saliva inhibits the remineralization process so severely that the number of cavities begins to rise within as little as three months after dry mouth begins.

Causes of Dry Mouth

These are some of the factors that can lead to dry mouth:

• Chronic diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, HIV, and an autoimmune condition called Sjögren’s syndrome

• Medications for many conditions, including high blood pressure, depression, and asthma

• Radiation therapy that damages the salivary glands

• Chemotherapy drugs

• Damage to the nerves in the head and neck that control the salivary glands

Self-Care Techniques

You can fend off the effects of dry mouth by taking action to increase the flow of saliva and by paying special attention to preventing tooth decay. Here are some steps that can help:

• Use over-the-counter artificial saliva products, such as Salivart Synthetic Saliva, Saliva Substitute, or Salix.

• Drink plenty of sugar-free liquids.

• Suck on sugarless hard candy or chew sugarless gum.

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco. These substances can dehydrate you.

• Limit the amount of sugar in your diet.

• Use a fluoridated toothpaste and mouth rinse regularly.

• Practice good brushing and flossing habits.

• Ask your dentist about professional fluoride applications.

Source: Dental Health for Adults: A Guide to Protecting Your Teeth.