Having adequate and steady salivary flow is important for digestion and protecting teeth. Dry mouth symptoms include waking with “cotton mouth”, rough feeling tongue, thick or stringy saliva, and dry lips. The primary causes of dry mouth are medications, dehydration, tobacco use, and systemic disease. Are you prone to having a dry mouth? Having a dry mouth can be uncomfortable and put your oral health at risk. The best way to treat dry mouth is by staying hydrated, chewing sugar-free gum, avoiding alcohol (including alcohol-containing mouthwash) and limiting caffeine intake. Protect teeth by brushing and flossing regularly, using a fluoride mouth rinse and products made specifically for dry mouth (Biotene). All too often we see patients that develop dry mouth and start sucking on hard candies and eventually return to our office with numerous cavities. Instead, suck on ice chips and sugar-free products. Questions? Call us!
C Read RDH