The Dangers of Dry Mouth

No one likes to discuss saliva. To be honest, it isn’t something that comes up at parties, and if someone walked up to you on the street and wanted to tell you about their saliva, you would probably start looking for an escape route. But saliva is extraordinarily important to a healthy mouth. It helps to digest your food, cleans leftover food particles from your teeth and neutralizes the bacteria in your mouth.

Chances are good that at some point in time, you have experienced a dry mouth, It is often the result of stress or fear; but chronic dry mouth needs to be treated. Some symptoms of dry mouth include a dry or sticky feeling in your mouth or throat, mouth sores, a burning, dry tongue, cracked lips, irritated gums and tooth decay.

Dry mouth can be caused by some medications, and certain diseases. Radiation and chemotherapy can also cause dry mouth, and smoking can be a cause. Sometimes, hormonal changes during menopause can be a contributing factor. Alcohol can dehydrate your mouth.

If you are experiencing the symptoms of dry mouth, it is important to have it treated. Our dentist, Dr. Kevin Lacour may suggest that you drink more water, or the use of sugarless gum or hard candy to stimulate saliva production. You may need to make some lifestyle changes, and the doctor can also prescribe and artificial saliva. It’s important that you and the doctor discuss any disease or illness you have, and any medications that you take

If you live in the Monroe, Georgia area, you can schedule an appointment at Walton Dental Care by calling 770-267-2301. We look forward to seeing you soon!