Saliva is not a topic many people want to talk about. Be that as it may, saliva is extremely important to the health of your mouth. It washes away the leftover bits of food that are in your mouth, and it also neutralizes the acids that lead to tooth decay. Your saliva helps to break down the food you eat to aid in digestion, and it contains minerals that repair tooth decay at a microscopic level.
However, there are situations in which you do not produce enough saliva. It may be because you are feeling panicked or stressed, but the inability to produce saliva is a real medical condition that affects many people on a regular basis. Dry mouth can be caused by some medications and diseases, as well as radiation treatments and chemotherapy. The hormonal changes during menopause can cause dry mouth; and smoking can lead to dry mouth as well.
You should talk with your dentist about dry mouth if you are experiencing a dry or sticky or burning feeling in your mouth, your lips and tongue feel dry or your lips are cracked, or if you have sores in your mouth.
You dentist can give you a prescription for a mouthwash that can help combat dry mouth, or can recommend artificial saliva. Your dentist can also work with your physician to adjust your medication if that is the cause, and talk with you about simple things that you can do to ease the symptoms and problems with dry mouth on a daily basis.
If you are coping with dry mouth, you should make an appointment to see our dentists, Dr. Danlu Lee and Dr. Wendy Yeung at Radiant Smiles Family Dentistry in Kirkland, Washington. Contact our office at (425) 828.9721 today.