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How Dry Mouth Can Affect Your Teeth

A cartoon with a swimming pool of saliva in a mouth.
Image by Authority Dental under CC 2.0

Occasional dry mouth from not drinking enough water or snacking on salty treats is nothing to cause worry. However, if you constantly experience dry mouth, it may be time to find out the cause. When you wait too long, dry mouth can affect your teeth and the rest of your health.

What Is Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth, professionally known as xerostomia, is a condition in which the salivary glands in the mouth are unable to produce enough saliva to keep the mouth lubricated. A dry mouth can happen occasionally or consistently.

An occasional dry mouth often occurs when you breathe through the mouth or go too long without hydrating. In a case like this, dry mouth will go away by drinking enough water or stimulating your saliva glands. If you sleep with your mouth open, you may be struggling with sleep apnea which is known for causing chronic dry mouth.

Causes of Dry Mouth

Besides not hydrating enough and sleeping with your mouth open, other causes of dry mouth include:

  • Medication side-effects
  • Breathing dry air
  • Health conditions like diabetes
  • Damage to the salivary glands
  • Wearing oral appliances

Dry Mouth & Your Teeth

Saliva is crucial to your dental health and provides a natural defense against tooth decay and acid erosion. Saliva also helps start the digestion process and can demineralize weak tooth enamel. Without saliva, dry mouth can quickly cause bacteria to build up on your teeth. This can result in bad breath, tooth decay, and gum disease. A dry mouth can also infect or inflame the gums around any dental restorations you may have. Regular dental cleanings are even more important if you suffer from dry mouth.

Comprehensive Dentistry in Long Island City, NY

If you’re located in or around Long Island City and require dental care for dry mouth, get in touch with our office. At Queensboro Plaza Dental Care, we can help determine the cause of your dry mouth and discuss solutions. We also provide a wide range of other dental services to meet your needs. We can’t wait to help you smile!

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Patient Reviews

Karoline PammerKaroline Pammer
20:52 30 Mar 22
Dr. Nguyen and his staff are extremely competent, friendly and professional. He is very thorough and explains everything very clearly. Finally I feel like I am in good hands when it comes to dental care.
Matt SmithMatt Smith
21:18 05 Feb 22
Great overall experience getting a dental cleaning. Very friendly staff, beautifully designed office, and a comfortable experience watching calming Netflix nature programming while in the chair. Complimentary beverages are in the waiting room and so is a little play area for kids.It felt to me that this was a patient-focused family practice as opposed to a cold, corporate dental mill trying to churn through as many patients as possible.I’ll definitely be coming back here for all my dental needs and I highly recommend.
Sundup SherpaSundup Sherpa
22:07 02 Feb 22
Dr. Nguyen and his staff are very welcoming and they provide an excellent experience every time I visit. I’ve only been here twice for annual checkups but would definitely consider and recommend this place to anyone who appreciates good customer experience and a very thoughtful approach to making sure that you feel at home. I have some procedures set up for later in the month and I must actually be the only person in the world actually looking forward to a dentist appointment.
Jayrockem GottemJayrockem Gottem
21:27 09 Nov 21
Great place wonderful staff they will be my go too dentist 100%
shawaf alishawaf ali
22:08 26 Aug 21
Very confident after leaving the office that my teeth are in greatttt hands. Above and beyond patient care. Very informative visits. A sense that they genuinely care about patient concerns. Added helpful guidelines I took home with me to reach dental hygiene goals before my next visits. Highly recommended you leave your old scary dentist ! 😁😁
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Queensboro Plaza Dental Care

Queensboro Plaza Dental Care