Having too little saliva in your mouth can make your mouth dry. Dry mouth is an actual condition that you experience where the salivary glands are not moist enough or are producing low fluidity. This is also a sign of dehydration, where you’re more like to grasp water to drink at the earliest opportunity.
Drinking large amounts of water doesn’t necessarily mean it will resolve the problem. Having too little saliva product can not only make your mouth uncomfortable, but it is also linked to oral health problems too.
The role of saliva shouldn’t be underestimated. Its production is important because it protects your mouth from problems such as cavities and tooth decay. The food debris that remains on your teeth after a meal or snack is cleared from the mouth by the saliva.
Increase Saliva Production Now…
If your saliva production is low and it seems like nothing is working, consulting the dentist its the best thing to do. You may also get medical treatment for the problem.
Aside from drinking water regularly, you may also consider the following solutions to increase saliva production at home.
Chewing Sugar-Free Gum
Chewing gum has always been a good source to increase saliva production but stay away from gum that contains sugar preservatives. Sugar-free gum stimulates saliva flow, but also has the added benefit of keeping your teeth clear from sugar. You do not want to have an added risk of excess sugar with poor saliva flow. Sugar-free gum contains Xylitol, a property that protects your mouth from cavities.
Limit Caffeine Intake
Unfortunately for coffee lovers, caffeine is a culprit for dry mouth. For reduce dry mouth, you’ll need to consider avoiding caffeine such as from coffee. The molecules in caffeine are known as tannins, which bind to proteins that precipitate on your tongue and removing the lubricating effect, causing your mouth to feel dry.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking water isn’t the only way to stay hydrated. You can also consider consuming fruits that produce high saliva such as watermelon, grapes, grapefruit and smoothies containing vegetables, They are also healthy preservatives containing nutrients you need to keep enamel strong. Click here to learn more about hydration remedies.
Quit All Tobacco
Tobacco, cigarettes, cigars produce the same drying effect and are also major culprits of dry mouth. This is also the case of vaping and e-cigarettes. The mucus can become thicker when you smoke, which does not protect the teeth as well as there isn’t enough saliva in the mouth to thin it.
If you notice your mouth feeling uncomfortable owing to a lack of saliva in the mouth, this is a sign that your hydration intake is low and a change in the food and drink you consume is required to increase saliva production. Sometimes, medications are taken for other adverse conditions that can contribute to low saliva production. If this is the case, hydration is essential. You may also consult the dentist for further advice.
Are you suffering from dry mouth? Let our experienced dentists help at Parkdale Family Dental and give you all of the advice you need. Click here to contact us today!