Dry Mouth
By: Dr. Ng | June 5th, 2019
During a check-up, one of many things I’m looking for is a dry mouth.
Dry mouth becomes more prevalent as one ages due to things like genetics, medications or illness. And with reduced saliva and the presence of sugar, an acidic environment is created. This is very destructive to teeth, causing rapid decay.
Can we combat this? Yes! Currently we have a 92 year old patient who has successfully managed her dry mouth for years.
How? The first step, as always, is to maintain meticulous oral hygiene and to limit sugar. As well, the effects of dry mouth can also be managed through the use of saliva substitutes, chewing on sugarless gum, or sucking on sugarless pastilles.
So once again, having the knowledge and the right tools will bring success.
