Saliva production may not be a topic that is widely discussed and perhaps even avoided in polite society. It is, nonetheless, important in keeping your teeth and gums healthy. A healthy saliva flow helps in many ways that we will look at in today’s blog, along with what our Witham patients can do to help maintain its normal production.
While many of us will recognise the unpleasant sensation caused by having the occasional dry mouth when saliva flow is reduced, regular occurrences of this can be bad news indeed for your teeth.
We all know what it is, but perhaps not what it is made from. While the main component is obviously water, it also contains a range of minerals and proteins that play an important role in the protection of our teeth and gums. It also contains millions of bacteria that help to break down any foods that we consume, aiding in its digestion, and also help to fight off certain infections as well.
There are some particular areas where saliva helps in keeping our teeth and gums healthy and we will look at those now.
One of the most common problems that we see at Blake Dental Witham is tooth decay. This can be caused by bad dietary habits and/or poor cleaning. Saliva also plays a role here. It helps to wash away food debris following a meal as well as circulating minerals that help to keep our teeth strong. If we don’t produce sufficient saliva, then these food particles can remain in our mouth longer and ‘feed’ the bacteria which produce teeth-damaging acidic biproducts.
Similarly, bacteria that build up when residual foods are not washed away, can lead to gum disease. Bacteria that remain can also harden into a ‘crust’ that forms on the teeth surface and gum line. This is known as tartar which creates a rough surface that subsequently attracts more bacteria. This is how gum disease starts and why it is important to keep regular hygienist appointments at our Witham dentist so that tartar can be removed and any signs of gum problems spotted early.
This is a common symptom of gingivitis and periodontitis, both forms of the gum disease mentioned above. It is both unpleasant and also anti-social. If you notice that people are reluctant to stand close to you when you speak, or who start to avoid you, it might be time to check your breath. This is very difficult to do yourself though so you might need to ask a very good friend to smell your breath for you. Even if they are polite, you will notice if they step back from your breath. If they do, it is time to talk to your dentist about it.
While our bodies are generally pretty good at this, there may be times when it is less effective. Some of this might be due to our own habits. For example, if we simply don’t drink enough water to produce it, or when we drink too much alcohol or smoke, both of which are known to cause a dry mouth. The occasional overconsumption of alcohol may not be too harmful for us, aside from any after effects of course, but if we drink regularly, this may mean a more consistently dry mouth which is why drinkers and smokers tend to have a higher incidence of gum disease.
Age is a factor too. It is well known that as we become older, our mouths become drier. This can be countered to a point by increasing water intake. Unfortunately, as some older people may suffer from incontinence etc, they may be reluctant to do this. There are medications available that can help though so please do speak to your GP about this.
Some medications, such as some antidepressants, antihistamines and diuretics may also increase the likelihood of this problem. If you are taking any of these and find this to be a problem, do not stop taking your medication but talk to your GP to see if alternatives are available.
Chewing a sugar free gum can also stimulate saliva production and can also be helpful in the removal of some foods and bacteria from around your teeth. If you don’t floss regularly, and we strongly advise that you do, chewing sugar free gum can be useful as a substitute if you really can’t or won’t floss between your teeth. Don’t use regular gum that contains sugar though as this may even make things worse.
Staying well hydrated then, and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, and not smoking of course, will all help in maintaining saliva production. Even then though, some tartar will almost inevitably build up and you should see the hygienist for a scale and polish procedure to clean your teeth and gums every six months or as advised.
For further information on oral health advice or if you feel you need to make an appointment with us, please call Blake Dental by phoning us on 01376 501688.
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Katie Annabel Blake trading as Blake Dental is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Financing First Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Katie Annabel Blake is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Financing First Limited may not be so authorised and regulated.
