Dry mouth can cause a number of inconveniences in your dental routine. Of course dry mouth causes your mouth to be drier than normal, which often leads to discomfort of the tongue, gums and inside the cheeks. Chewing gum, using lozenges and mouth rinses can all help alleviate this discomfort.

Dry mouth is more common than many patients realize. In fact, almost everyone experiences the symptoms of dry mouth at some point in time. There are many things that may cause your dry mouth symptoms. The most common causes are illness, reactions to medication and aging. If medication or illness has caused your dry mouth the symptoms are likely to be temporary and not disruptive to daily activities. However, for thousands of other dental patients, dry mouth is a daily struggle.

Also known as xerostomia, dry mouth is a legitimate medical condition. Dry mouth can cause an increase in cavities and tooth decay. When unable to produce saliva, your mouth becomes excessively dry and fails to adequately rinse way the germs that can cause decay.

If you are taking prescription medications that you believe may be causing your dry mouth, the first thing you should do is discuss this with your physician and pharmacist. He or she can help you find substitute medications with fewer side effects. There are also many over the counter products, such as Biotene, that are designed to stimulate saliva production during the day.

Contact our office today to learn more about the prevention and treatment of dry mouth.