Knoxville, TN dentist, Dr. Jim Erpenbach doesn’t want you to get caught under the mistletoe with bad breath this holiday season. One of the potential causes of halitosis (chronic bad breath) is dry mouth. This dental health condition results from a lack of ample saliva production.
Dry Mouth Causes
You may experience occasional dry mouth if you…
Knoxville, TN dentist, Dr. Jim Erpenbach doesn’t want you to get caught under the mistletoe with bad breath this holiday season. One of the potential causes of halitosis (chronic bad breath) is dry mouth. This dental health condition results from a lack of ample saliva production.
Dry Mouth Causes
You may experience occasional dry mouth if you travel to a dry climate, drink a large amount of alcohol, or don’t hydrate yourself sufficiently throughout the day .The clinical term for dry mouth is xerostomia, a word you probably aren’t all that familiar with, if you’ve even heard it at all. There are several factors that may be behind this marked deficiency in saliva production. Among dry mouth causes are:
- Hormonal fluctuations
- Sleep Apnea, teeth grinding, or snoring
- Allergies or sinus conditions that promote open-mouth breathing
- High stress
- Health conditions such as cancer, HIV,AIDS, and diabetes
- Radiation or chemotherapy
Don’t Ignore Dry Mouth
If you experience dry mouth occasionally, you should be able to deal with it by simply drinking more water. Sugarless gum and candy can also ramp up your salivary efforts if they seem to be deficient. However, if you find that you’re mouth seems consistently and uncomfortably dry, you may have xerostomia which requires attention. Don’t hesitate to call your dentist for appropriate treatment recommendations. Dry mouth can not only be a precursor to bad breath, but also tooth decay. Saliva performs the important task of helping to rinse food debris and germs from your mouth throughout the day. Saliva can also neutralizes acid in your mouth which demineralizes your tooth enamel and makes your teeth weaker. A healthy balance of saliva is part of a healthy mouth.
Treating Dry Mouth in Knoxville
Dr. Jim Erpenbach offers patients quality dental care to help restore dental health and prevent devastating tooth loss. For more information or to schedule a dental cleaning at our Knoxville dentist office, contact our friendly office staff at 865-584-8630.Â?We proudly serve patients fromÂ?West Knoxville and the Bearden area of Knoxville.
Â?
Â?
