Dry Mouth Treatment: How Your Dentist Can Help

Dry mouth or xerostomia is when your salivary glands don’t produce enough saliva to keep your mouth moist. For some people, symptoms are very mild. They just feel a sticky, dry sensation in their mouth like when they’re thirsty, but dry mouth is much more than that.

If it persists, it’s detrimental to your oral health. Without enough saliva to neutralize the pH of your mouth and flush away food debris, there’s an increased risk of cavities.

Reduced saliva also means that bacteria can build up more easily along your gumline. This increases the risk of gum disease.

Those who suffer from dry mouth also become more vulnerable to issues like thrush (oral candidiasis) and mouth sores.

For dry mouth treatment, the most important thing is to figure out the cause first. That’s where seeking help from a dentist can be quite beneficial. After getting to the root cause, they can make a treatment plan that works long-term.

Your dental professional may recommend:

Dry mouth gels

These gels help lubricate and moisturize the mouth, providing temporary relief from dryness and reducing the uncomfortable “cotton mouth” feeling.

Medicated mouth rinses

Dentists prescribe mouth rinses that contain special ingredients to reduce dry mouth and lower the risk of tooth decay.

Routine dental cleanings

Those with dry mouth may need more frequent cleanings than usual. These cleanings remove all the plaque and bacterial buildup along the gumline.

Moreover, during these visits, your dentist can look out for any other oral health changes that might be occurring because of dry mouth.

Fluoride treatments

Professional fluoride application doesn’t directly treat dry mouth, but it makes your enamel stronger to resist cavities.

Lifestyle changes

A dentist can give the best recommendations on making slight changes to your habits and lifestyle that might be contributing to dry mouth. Instead of simple advice like “drink more water”, they give specific instructions depending on the cause.

Many dentists suggest chewing sugar-free gum to improve saliva flow naturally. They can also demonstrate effective brushing and flossing techniques, which are especially important for people with xerostomia.