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Suffering From Dry Mouth? Why You Should Find A Way To Treat It

Dry mouth is something that many people struggle with, yet it is a condition that you should not ignore. Living with dry mouth is often the result of the medication you take or your lifestyle choices, and it is a condition that can lead to oral problems. Here are a few things you should understand about dry mouth if you currently have it.

The Causes of It

The first thing to understand is the common causes of dry mouth. In many situations, people have this condition as a result of the medications they take. There are a lot of different medications that have this as a side effect, but this is not the only cause. People who smoke or use other forms of tobacco products may also struggle with dry mouth, and people who consume a lot of alcohol can too. Additionally, if you have sleep apnea or snore a lot while you sleep, you could end up with dry mouth simply from the way you breathe all night when you are in bed sleeping.

The Consequences of It

Living with dry mouth can be frustrating and uncomfortable, but it can also have other types of consequences you should know about. For one, it can lead to bad breath. When your mouth does not have enough saliva in it, it cannot clean itself as it should, and this will lead to bad breath. Secondly, without enough saliva in your mouth, you will have an increased risk of cavities forming on your teeth, as saliva is essential to clean your teeth.

The Treatment Options for It

The first step in treating the problem is trying to determine what is causing it. If the cause of it is something you can change, you may want to try to change whatever that is. For example, if it is your medication, you could talk to your doctor about it to see if there is an alternative type you could switch to.

Secondly, you may want to consume more water and suck on sugar-free hard candies or chew on sugar-free gum. These habits will help increase the moisture in your mouth and may help your saliva glands produce more saliva.

If you want to reduce your oral health risks and find relief from the symptoms you experience from dry mouth, you should visit a general dentist today. A dentist like Mainwaring John D DDS can help you find out why you have it and what you can do to fix the problem.


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