How Dry Mouth Increases Your Risk of Cavities

Xerostomia, or dry mouth, occurs when your mouth doesn’t have enough saliva to stay moist. It is a common oral problem. But it should be treated on time since it could lead to cavities. Go on learning with Victoria Dentist TX by reading this blog.

Causes of Dry Mouth

A dry mouth can cause dental issues and bad breath. To start on the correct therapy, you should thus see a professional to find the reason for a dry mouth. There are several reasons for dry mouth.

The key reason is not getting enough water in general and following exercise. Tension or stress can also affect the saliva secretion in your mouth, causing it to dry. Side effects from medication and autoimmune conditions can also cause dry mouth.

Can Dry Mouth Bring on Cavities?

Every aspect of oral health is linked, including dry mouth and cavities. Sadly, given the great frequency of both caries and xerostomia, this topic is not covered as much as it ought to be. Studies reveal that people with xerostomia have noticeably more carious lesions than those free of this condition.

Certain drugs can lower saliva production, therefore causing xerostomia and hence raising the risk of cavities. Reduced salivary flow also reduces the buffering of plaque acids, therefore exposing teeth to bacterial attack and caries development. When xerostomia develops, it opens the path for demineralization, which proceeds more quickly than re-mineralization.

How Does A Dry Mouth Lead To Cavities?

Indeed, cavities could have their origin in a dry mouth. Plaque that clings to your teeth consumes the dental enamel and causes tooth decay. Saliva and water can help clear food particles from your mouth and eliminate plaque from your teeth.

Saliva also contains enzymes meant for digestion and food breakdown. Thus, the meal will not break down correctly and will stick to your teeth when saliva is lacking. Saliva also has phosphate, calcium, and bicarbonate to balance off plaque acidity.

It also aids in rebuilding and rejuvenating the tooth enamel. Tooth decay and cavities are more prone to strike without saliva. Reduced salivary flow brought on by a dry mouth can lead to tooth decay and cavities.

How to Control Dental Cavities Resulting from a Dry Mouth

A painful disorder that aggravates various dental health issues, including cavities, bad breath, and gum sensitivity, is xerostomia. It generates the symptoms of dental decay, cavities, gingivitis, etc., occurring and developing.

Early diagnosis and treatment of xerostomia are of great relevance since they readily affect the patient’s life and require consideration of these hazards. Fortunately, there are several treatment approaches you might try that have been shown to be helpful for xerostomia treatment.

Management Tips for Xerostomia by Victoria Dentist TX

#1 Use MI Paste

In xerostomia, the usage of MI Paste can be quite beneficial for caries prevention. Calcium phosphopeptide-ammonium calcium phosphate makes MI Paste a tooth crème that promotes re-mineralization and cavity prevention.

Studies support MI Paste’s effectiveness for mouth moistening and caries prevention. Looks a lot like your regular toothpaste; MI paste is a water-based, sugar-free tooth cream. All you have to do is use a pea-sized amount that you will smear over your teeth and let it work for around three minutes.

One does not require a rinse. You can use your fingers, ideally with a glove also, your toothbrush, or a cotton swab. Apart from efficiently preventing caries and tooth decay, the MI paste is also recognized to optimize the acid levels in the oral cavity, lower tooth sensitivity, and eliminate any spots from your teeth.

#2 Use Chewing Gums

Apart from MI paste, it is advisable to use chewing gums and products, including xylitol, a sugar alcohol that has antibacterial properties. Studies reveal that xylitol lowers the concentration of caries-causing bacteria, improves pH, and increases salivary flow to reduce the occurrence of cavities.
Xylitol also shows positive results in lowering gingival inflammation, controlling xerostomia symptoms, and either avoiding or controlling tooth erosion. Chewing gum with added xylitol is great to be used by anyone, including people with diabetes.

#3 Use Fluoride mouthwash

Although most toothpaste contains fluoride, another ally in the fight against cavities is a fluoride mouthwash. Natural or artificial drinking water also has fluoride.

Applying fluoride gel every second day or weekly paired with fluoride mouthwash use for six weeks reversed the demineralization process per one study. It can stop dental cavities connected to xerostomia.

Victoria Dental Office TX recommends shopping for toothpaste, including fluoride, and even getting a quality fluoride gel as you are placing fluoride at the site of action.

Conclusion

If you experience dry mouth and worry about your oral condition, we advise you to get in touch with Victoria Dentist TX. The first step towards good teeth and gums is arranging a visit with our staff.

Our experts will complete a comprehensive examination and offer you treatment advice fit for you. It should always be handled soon away since a dry mouth might cause major problems.