About this topic
There are many things inside of our mouth besides our teeth and gums. Saliva is one of the most important things. ‚
Saliva or spit plays a very big role in keeping your mouth healthy. Saliva helps: ‚
- Get rid of small bits of food left on our teeth and gums after eating.
- Start to digest your food.
- You swallow your food. It also helps with taste.
- Keep your mouth comfortable by keeping it wet.
- Prevent tooth decay and fight germs.
- Keep your teeth more healthy by providing calcium, fluoride, and phosphate.
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What are the causes?
Dry mouth can be caused by many things, such as diseases, drugs, smoking, and stress. ‚
What lifestyle changes are needed?
- Avoid caffeine
- Do not smoke or drink beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol)
- Use sugarless drinks, candy, and gum
What problems could happen?
- If you dont have enough saliva, you may have a condition called xerostomia or dry mouth. This can be a sign of a serious health problem.
- Discomfort because your tongue and gums get dry and swollen
- Tooth decay from plaque and germs on your teeth
- Bad breath
- Hard to taste different foods
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Very dry mouth that does not go away
- Tooth or mouth pain
Where can I learn more?
Academy of General Dentistry ‚
http://www.knowyourteeth.com/infobites/abc/article/?abc=D&iid=187&aid=1235 ‚
American Dental Association ‚
http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/s/saliva ‚
http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/d/dry-mouth ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚