WHY YOU SHOULDN’T IGNORE DRY MOUTH SYMPTOMS
While everyone occasionally experiences dry mouth, you should seek dental care in Naples if you suffer from severe, persistent dry mouth symptoms. Your family dentist can diagnose the cause of your dry mouth symptoms, and help you reduce your risk of complications and serious dental problems resulting from dry mouth. Here are some of the reasons why you shouldn’t ignore dry mouth symptoms, and should visit a dentist for dental care.
Increases Your Risk of Gingivitis and Gum Disease
Your mouth’s natural saliva production is an incredibly important part of maintaining your dental hygiene. Saliva helps wash away bacteria in your mouth, and also breaks down food particles that have gotten stuck between your teeth. When you don’t have enough saliva to rid your mouth, you are at a higher risk of developing plaque and tartar buildup, which can cause gingivitis and gum disease.
Contributes to Bad Breath
The antiseptic and cleansing properties of saliva help prevent bad breath. When your saliva production is low, the bacteria that build up in your mouth will eventually cause halitosis, or bad breath. If your dentist can determine the cause of your dry mouth symptoms, he can provide appropriate dental care that will eliminate unpleasant breath. He might recommend that you follow a stricter dental hygiene routine, use prescription dental care products, drink more water, stop smoking, or avoid consuming certain foods and beverages. He can also perform diagnostic tests to determine if your dry mouth symptoms are caused by an underlying medical condition.
Causes Tooth Decay and Dental Cavities
Without proper saliva production, you’re also at a higher risk of tooth decay and dental cavities. Tooth decay results when bacteria and food particles get trapped between or around the teeth, causing the formation of plaque. The bacteria in plaque produce acids that eat away at your tooth enamel. Without dental care, this will eventually cause dental cavities. To prevent tooth decay and cavities, your dentist will recommend that you use proper dental hygiene techniques and schedule regular dental exams.
