A dry mouth is something that affects many people every year. From medications to thrush, there are many reasons that people suffer from a dry mouth. If you are suffering from a chronic dry mouth, you are probably aware that it can wreak havoc on your oral health. Fortunately, you can treat your dry mouth by following these four tips:
1. Drink Plenty of Water
If you experience dry mouth, one of the easiest ways to relieve it is by drinking plenty of water. Aside from keeping you hydrated, water will also help keep your mouth moist. Ideally, you should drink 8-12 glasses of water per day—or whatever your doctor recommends. But if you can't do that, make sure you regularly swish water around in your mouth. While water won't help to remove plaque, it will help keep your mouth wet; and this will help reduce some of the symptoms of dry mouth.
2. Utilize Gum and Hard Candy
Another way to help relieve a dry mouth is to chew gum or suck on hard candy. Having something in your mouth will help activate your saliva glands, which will help your mouth stay moist. Just make sure that you use the sugar-free variety, as gum and candies packed with sugar may actually worsen the problem.
3. Brush and Floss Regularly
Since having dry mouth makes you more susceptible to oral health issues, it is a good idea to brush and floss regularly. If you have dry mouth, make sure you use a toothpaste and mouthwash with fluoride. The fluoride will help protect your teeth throughout the day, regardless of a wet or dry mouth. In addition, try to avoid using mouthwashes with alcohol. While the alcohol will help to kill bacteria, it will only exacerbate the dry mouth problem that you are experiencing.
4. Get Help From Your Dentist
Finally, consider getting help from your dentist. Since dry mouth can cause serious issues, such as cavities and gingivitis, you might want to enlist the help of your dentist. Your dentist can prescribe you specific products for dry mouth, such as mouthwashes and toothpastes. You might also be able to use a gel or a specific medication to help ease the problem. Depending on the severity, your dentist might also be able to offer treatments, such as fluoride treatments or fluoride fillings, to help reduce the problems associated with dry mouth.
Living with a dry mouth may not be pleasant, but you can make it tolerable by implementing these tips into your daily life. As always, if you have questions or concerns, speak to a dentist, like one from Persona Dental. These professionals can help you remedy the problem so that you continue to have a happy and healthy smile.
Share18 July 2016
When the bottled water craze began, I jumped on the bandwagon with everyone else who was drinking water from bottles instead of from the tap. I wasn't sure why bottled water was healthier, but I liked the taste. When I went for my next dental check-up, I had my first cavity in a while, so I had it filled and didn't think much of it. Well, I had two more during my next check-up after that, and I began trying to think of why my teeth were suddenly going bad. The only change in my habits was the switch to bottled water, so I made the switch back to tap water and my teeth began to improve. I created this blog to encourage others who have begun getting cavities suddenly to look into their changes in habits. They may find they made a change similar to mine.