The Importance of Saliva for Healthy Mouth

The best we tend toapon we possess to fight decay is that the watery substance created by the glands surrounding the oral cavity. Saliva consists of over ninety nine.5 p.c water. The remaining components of saliva embody mucous, ions like potassium, chloride, sodium and numerous phosphates. All of those substances work along to produce buffers that facilitate to control the pH within the oral cavity and to make enzymes that facilitate to begin the method of breaking down our food.

Saliva's most vital job isn't solely to moisten the oral cavity that promote speech and also the movement of food through the digestive system, however to combat enamel erosion that facilitates the method of tooth decay. If the bacteria that are gift within the mouth don't seem to be neutralized and minimized with the assistance of saliva, demineralization of the arduous tissues, like enamel, can occur and progressive degradation of the organic matter of the tooth can ensue.

healthy mouth

Many common factors exist that have an effect on the assembly of saliva. though there are varied components that contribute to decreasing salivary production, it's usually tough to isolate the matter occurring from one specific issue. Reasons like aging, mouth respiratory, smoking, and depression are common culprits to having a drier mouth; but, additional usually the incidence of dry mouth syndrome or xerostomia is diagnosed attributable to general body causes instead of native oral cavity problems.

The most common reasons for xerostomia are: use of medicines that decrease salivary production, some autoimmune conditions, and therapeutic irradiation that is employed to treat head and neck cancers. Current literature lists a whole bunch if not thousands of medicines that have the aspect result of manufacturing dry mouth. Considering our nation's love affair with prescription medication, it's very tough to seek out an aging adult that doesn't take a minimum of one medication that deters salivary production. Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease, is noted for the injury it creates to salivary and similar glands. This syndrome usually is related to numerous rheumatoid diseases. Lastly, radiation therapy for the treatment of head and neck cancers usually damages salivary glands and reduces or halts salivary production. With numerous general body causes for dry mouth syndrome, people should be diligent in maximizing the tools out there to extend salivary production or to switch lost oral secretions.

Fortunately, there are steps which will be taken to assist increase salivary flow to switch oral secretions. Adequate hydration is vital and will be monitored. smart oral hygiene practices ought to be followed with adequate daily brushing and flossing. One should select foods that need active chewing to assist increase salivary flow and conjointly chew gum or suck on candies that have sugar free ingredients like Xylitol.

Over-the-counter fluoride rinses will facilitate offer an extra barrier to assist shield teeth from the increased probability of decay. If radiation treatment is proposed for cancer treatment, fluoride trays is created by one's dentist that may hold prescription strength fluoride that helps shield teeth throughout the radiation treatment. though the struggle with dry mouth is also ongoing, consistent, diligent care is that the one tool that may be effective in serving to one to take care of his healthy mouth and smile.

Kendall Wood received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Kendall could be a member of the yankee Dental Association, the Oregon Dental Association, the Southern Willamette Dental Society, yankee Dental Society of Anesthesiology, and also the yankee Academy of Implant Dentistry.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in: Dental,health,Implants