Dry mouth is a condition commonly known as xerostomia. This happens when the salivary glands within the mouth are not producing enough saliva to keep the mouth healthy. We will discuss what saliva does for our oral health, what can happen if we ignore the signs of dry mouth and any health issues that could potentially cause it.
What Causes Dry Mouth?
Dry mouth will often cause someone to experience extreme dryness within the mouth. This can often be a direct result of dehydration and not drinking enough fluid. Some other health conditions like diabetes can also affect the production of saliva, as well as smoking, stress, breathing through the mouth, antidepressants, aging, anxiety, and radiation therapy on the head or neck.
Complications as a Result of Dry Mouth
If a patient suffers from dry mouth, they can also start experiencing bad breath, cracked lips, and a dry throat. While dry mouth isn't a serious condition, it can be a sign of underlying medical conditions that could require attention and treatment. Health conditions that can cause dry mouth include diabetes, oral thrush, cystic fibrosis, and HIV and AIDS.
As salvia helps to protect teeth by removing food particles when we eat, tooth decay can be a common problem with dry mouth. As tooth decay is a serious side effect of dry mouth, it is important to maintain your daily oral health care such as brushing your teeth and flossing.
You can help prevent dry mouth from occurring by keeping yourself hydrated, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, limiting your consumption of salt and sugar, and sucking on sugarless hard candy to help the production of saliva. If you are worried about dry mouth and are concerned that you may be suffering from it, get in touch with our office to schedule a dental check-up.
About Us • Oral Surgeon Clackamas, OR • Clackamas Implant & Oral Surgery Center Clackamas Implant & Oral Surgery Center is the office of Brett M. Sullivan, DMD, a Board-Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon. Click to learn more about us! Clackamas Implant & Oral Surgery Center - Brett Sullivan, DMD, MD, 11211 SE Sunnyside Road, Clackamas, OR 97015 ^ (503) 652-8080 ^ clackamasoralsurgery.com ^ 10/2/2024 ^ Page Terms:about us,oral surgeon clackamas,clackamas oral surgeon
Dry mouth is a condition commonly known as xerostomia. This happens when the salivary glands within the mouth are not producing enough saliva to keep the mouth healthy. We will discuss what saliva does for our oral health, what can happen if we ignore the signs of dry mouth and any health issues that could potentially cause it.