It’s great to see you again, New Albany! Reading this blog from the office of New Albany Implants shows your dedication to your oral health and how highly you value your teeth and gums. A strong and healthy set of teeth is something that cannot be overvalued, since your oral health affects every aspect of your total well being. Your teeth play a role in what you eat, how you look, and how you sound. So, it is easy to see why oral hygiene habits are essential to a healthy lifestyle.
With implant dentistry and other tooth replacement technology, it may seem that taking care of your natural teeth is not the priority it once was. If you lose a tooth, you can just get a new one, right?
As effective as dental implants are, they are just not as good as your natural teeth. That’s why preventive care is so important. The longer you can hang on to the teeth you were born with, the healthy you will be as you age.
Certainly, you are aware of the basics of preventive care, brushing and flossing twice day, avoiding sugar and acid in your diet, and eating healthy foods with enough calcium to repair weaken enamel. But there is even more you can do to protect your oral health, for example, staying hydrated so that your mouth is always moist with protective saliva is one of the most important things you can do to preserve your oral health.
The Dangers of Dry Mouth
Saliva is an overlooked, and often maligned, component of your overall health. You need it to start the digestive process, but you also need it to fight the bacteria and fungi that invade your mouth. Saliva contains natural antibiotics that will protect your teeth and gums.
But if you are suffering from dry mouth, which means you have little to no saliva protecting your mouth, then bacteria is free to run rampant. And as you know, bacteria is the main cause of tooth decay and gum disease. This means that dry mouth is more than just an annoying bother, it can actually be a serious threat to your health.
Causes of Dry Mouth
The most common cause of dry mouth is dehydration, usually brought on simply by not drinking enough water. Exercising without properly hydrating will cause this to happen, as will spending too much time in the hot sun.
Medications are another cause of dry mouth. Any time you take medicine, chemicals are reacting inside your body. This can impede your production of saliva.
Certain foods and beverages can cause dry mouth, too. This is especially true of alcoholic beverages. So, any time you drink beer or cocktails, you should drink a glass of water between each drink.
If a cold or allergies is forcing you to breath through your mouth, then dry mouth will be a likely result.
Dry Mouth Treatments
Then most obvious and effective way to combat dry mouth is to drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is essential to a healthy lifestyle. There is no question about that. Beyond the oral health complications associated with dry mouth, dehydration is dangerous for your whole body.
If medication or illness is keeping your mouth dry, you can keep sugarless hard candy or chewing gum handy to promote salivation. Or in extreme cases, your doctor may recommend a special mouth rinse to keep dry mouth at bay.
If you live in a dry environment, then you may consider running a vaporizer to moisten the air around you.
Whatever the case, don’t let dry mouth go untreated, or the results could be disastrous for your oral health. As we mentioned above, the bacteria that cause tooth decay thrive in an environment with no saliva. So, unless you want your teeth and gums to pay the price, keep a water bottle nearby and stay moist!
Visit New Albany Implants in Southern Indiana
For help with taking care of your teeth to ensure you have a healthy smile for years to come, make an appointment with New Albany Implants. We can get you started on a preventive care routine to keep you smiling brightly.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment.