Dry Mouth Can Give You Cavities

Have you had trouble eating, swallowing, or talking, due to lack of moisture in your mouth?

The technical term is xerostomia, a lack of saliva or spit.

Dry mouth, also called cotton mouth, can be common during stress or as a side effect of some medicines. But you need saliva in your mouth to prevent cavities. Your saliva contains good bacteria that fight off the bad bacterial causes of tooth decay.

Most people are probably unaware of how dry mouth can increase cavities. It's an important consideration in cases of when a person's mouth seems to be dry a lot.

While various medicines and treatments can inhibit your salivary glands, the cure for dry mouth can be simple. 

Changing your medication may do the trick. 

Just drinking more fluids can help a lot, too. Keep water with you more often, sipping on it frequently. Help yourself to lemonade, grape juice, tomato juice, kefir, green tea, and your favorite healthy, hydrating beverages.

Increase your intake of watery substances, like grapes, melons, oranges, tangerines, berries, and other juicy fruits.

Then there are special rinses, gels, toothpastes, mouth washes, and moisturizing gels available.

Consult your medical doctor or dentist if dry mouth is a problem. 

If left untreated, recurrent dry mouth can mean a big increase in tooth decay, which we all want to avoid.

Contact my office if you have this, or any other, oral health or dental problem.