Does Dry Mouth Increase the Risk of Tooth Decay

Before we discuss how dry mouth might be related to tooth decay, let us first determine if you have it or not. When you have dryness in your mouth, it will exhibit certain symptoms, such as:

• Cotton mouth or mouth feeling dry
• Trouble with chewing, swallowing, tasting, and speaking
• Unpleasant odor on your breath
• Cracked lips
• Dry and irritated tongue
• Inflamed gums
• Dry throat
• Problems wearing dentures
• Waking up due to a feeling of thirst
• Sores in the mouth

A dry mouth is a condition that may be responsible for the cavities in your mouth. Saliva helps wash away food debris left in your mouth when you have eaten something. Thanks to the enzymes in saliva, food breaks down and helps with digestion. If you do not have saliva in your mouth, the food will remain stuck in your teeth since it does not get broken down.

Other than this, saliva contains bicarbonate, calcium, and phosphate, which helps neutralize the acidity of plaque. Moreover, the minerals are helpful in rebuilding and restoring tooth enamel. So, when you have a dry mouth, the risk of tooth decay increases because the food lingers on the teeth. Plus, your enamel does not undergo remineralization without saliva!

You can always prevent a dry mouth before you have to get dental fillings or another treatment due to cavities. Below, we will list some tips to avoid a dry mouth:

1. Drink a lot of fluids to stay hydrated
2. Try eating sugarless gums or sucking on sugar-free hard candies, popsicles, or even ice chips. This helps stimulate saliva flow and prevent dry mouth.
3. Avoid using mouthwash with alcohol or peroxide, as it can dry out your mouth.
4. Limit foods and drinks that have high sugar content.
5. Steer clear of salty and dry foods, including crackers, toast, dried meat, and dried fruits.
6. Cut back on alcoholic or caffeinated drinks as they can dry out the mouth and even lead to dehydration.
7. Quit smoking.