What You Need to Know About Dry Mouth

We’ve all woken up in the middle of the night and our mouth feels dry as a desert. Maybe it’s winter and the heat’s turned up, or we have a cold and are breathing through our mouth. This is normal! Just take a sip of water and go back to sleep.

However, for 1 out of 5 adults this discomfort is part of their everyday lives. Dry mouth, also known, as "xerostomia", is an abnormal dryness of the mucous membranes in the mouth due to reduced saliva flow.

It may not seem like a problem – but saliva is important to maintaining our oral and overall health in several ways:

• It acts as a buffer to neutralize acidic in our mouth, helping to prevent cavities 
• Saliva helps in our immune response by protecting the oral cavity from bacteria 
• Saliva supports proper speech and articulation 
• It delivers calcium, phosphate,fluoride and other components essential to our oral health 
• Saliva flow helps us digest our food by aiding in our chewing and swallowing 
• Saliva protects exposed root surfaces 

Causes of Dry Mouth 

There are several possible causes of dry mouth or xerostomia. It's a common side effect of many medications. It can also be a side effect of cancer treatments, or symptom of certain auto-immune diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease or Sjögren's syndrome. People who've had an injury or surgery to their head or neck area may have nerve damage that results in dry mouth. Chewing or smoking tobacco also increases the risk of dry mouth symptoms.

Medications that Can Cause Dry Mouth 

• Anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drugs 
• Medications for lowering blood pressure 
• Allergy and cold medications — antihistamines and decongestants 
• Chemotherapy drugs 
• Medications to alleviate pain 
• Drugs used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease 

Is My Mouth Just “Dry” or Do I Have “Xerostomia”

Xerostomia can range from mildly irritating to quite uncomfortable.  In addition to a lack of saliva, here are a few of the other symptoms that may alert you and to a potential problem:

• Chronically bad breath 
• Splitting or cracking of the lips 
• Taste disorders 
• Fungal infections in the mouth, such as thrush 
• Painful or inflamed tongue, or frequent tongue ulcers 
• More frequent tooth decay, gum disease and plaque 
• Problems speaking, swallowing and chewing 
• Difficulty wearing dentures e.g. problems with denture retention or denture sores 
• Infections in your salivary glands 
• Chronic sore throat or the sensation of having a burning mouth 

Treating Dry Mouth

At Jeff M. Morrison & Associates, DDS, our approach to treating dry mouth is two-fold: find ways to increase saliva production and eliminate specific things that are likely to increase dryness in the mouth.

If you think you have xerostomia, we encourage you schedule an appointment with Dr. Morrison to have your condition assessed. He will review your health history, including your medications. He will also monitor your oral health and provide suggestions on improving your saliva flow – from simple home remedies to prescription medications.

Home Remedies for Dry Mouth

Here are a few “mouth-watering” tips you can also try on your own:

• Carry water wherever you go 
• Quit smoking or chewing tobacco 
• Avoid oral rinses that contain alcohol or peroxide. 
• Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless hard candies that contain xylitol to activate your saliva production. 
• Limit your consumption of caffeine, carbonated beverages (including seltzer and sparkling waters), and alcoholic beverages. 
• Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and use dental floss to remove food particles that get stuck between your teeth. 
• Use oral rinses that contain xylitol. Certain gels and oral sprays are equally helpful. Biotene is one over-the-counter brand that makes products designed to treat dry mouth. 
• Use a humidifier to add moisture to a bedroom, which may help reduce dry mouth symptoms that develop during sleep. 
• Make sure you get your teeth checked and cleaned twice a year to to identify dental problems early and treat them before they turn into something more serious. 

Concerned you have chronic dry mouth? Give us a call at (919) 755-3450 or request an appointment online.  Xerostomia is more than a minor discomfort – it can have a real impact on your health. We hope this information helps!

What is Plaque and How Do I Avoid It?

Most people have heard the word “plaque,” and know it’s not something you want on your teeth. Yet, they don’t know what exactly plaque is, or how it contributes to dental decay.

Plaque is a sticky, colorless film of bacteria that lives on the surface of your teeth and along the gumline. It accumulates from normal daily activities such as eating and drinking, especially if you’ve been consuming a lot of sugars and starches.

Ever had that fuzzy feeling on your teeth that goes away after you give them a good brush?

Yep, that’s plaque.

Plaque contributes to dental decay. The bacteria like to consume the sugars in your mouth and excrete acids that wear away at your tooth enamel.

When you don’t regularly brush and floss away plaque, it forms tartar. Tartar is the calcified substance on your teeth that only a professional cleaning can remove. When your Dental Hygienist scrapes away at your teeth, she is removing tartar.

If you don't brush properly after meals, plaque begins to form and build up on your teeth right away. It takes about 12 days for the plaque to turn into tartar. That's why good dental hygiene and regular visits to the dentist are so important.

How can you avoid plaque?

Here are our five top suggestions:

1. Brush thoroughly with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day

You know you should do it, but how often?

“Ideally, we want everyone to brush after each meal to remove plaque as soon as it develops,” says Dr. Morrison. "It’s especially important to get your bedtime brushing in", he says, "because without it, plaque sits on your teeth all night long".

2. Clean between your teeth

Your teeth aren’t the only places where plaque gathers. It also hides in the spaces between your teeth. In fact, one-third of your tooth surface cannot be reached by tooth brushing alone. Floss or other tools that reach that are key.

3. Swish with antibacterial mouthwash once a day.

For many people, antibacterial mouthwash can be another option in their plaque prevention toolkit. “Mouthwash generally helps loosen plaque, making it easier to remove,” Dr. Morrison says. 

4. Limit sugar and starch

When you finish eating, bacteria rush to the sugar left in your mouth and feed on it. The more sugary your food, the more bacteria there are to deal with when you brush.

5. Regular dental cleanings and exams 

Most of your plaque removal should take place during your home routine. “No matter how great a job you’re doing at home, there are some areas that are difficult to reach and clean properly, like under the gums or behind the second molars,” Dr. Morrison says. Besides cleaning the spots you might have missed, your Dental Hygienist can also tweak your tooth brushing techniques and catch any issues early, before they become bigger problems.

Is it time for your cleaning and exam? Give us a call at (919) 755-3450 or schedule online. We look forward to seeing you.

At Jeff M. Morrison & Associates, DDS, we are ALWAYS taking new patients and have appointments available for same day and next day exams, cleanings and treatment.