Blog Highlights:
- Saliva is not just important for breaking down food, it is also important when it comes to keeping teeth and gums healthy
- Saliva can actually help neutralize food acids and it can also carry minerals for strengthening your teeth enamel
- If you are suffering from xerostomia, your dentist can recommend that you use oral rinses and even artificial saliva so you can avoid oral problems
A lot of people do not know that saliva is actually an important component when it comes to keeping your teeth healthy. Aside from helping you to chew and break down your food properly, saliva can help wash away food debris and it can also help neutralize the acids that might be present in your food or beverage.
Saliva can also carry certain minerals that can help strengthen your teeth enamel. A reduction in the production of saliva is a very dangerous problem. Known medically as xerostomia, it is characterized by having a dry mouth. People who suffer from this condition have problems when it comes to speaking, and even when it comes to chewing and swallowing food. It is actually normal to have dry mouth once in a while, but it can be dangerous for your oral health if it happens frequently.
Some medications can actually cause xerostomia, this is why you should let your dentist know if you need to take medications that have such side effect. Your dentist can help you fix dry mouth problems by giving you prescriptions for oral rinses, as well as for artificial saliva. These can help add moisture to your mouth so you can avoid having bad breath and other oral problems. Your dentist can also advise that you use sugarless candy or gum to help coax your mouth into producing more saliva.
Individuals who have dry mouth are recommended to see their dentist right away so that they can easily help alleviate the problem before things turn for the worse.
