Are you prepared for the heat and humidity of another Ohio Valley summer?
Your friends at Kirchner Dental sure hope so! This weather can be risky for your teeth, gums, and smile overall, which is why we’re talking about the dental dangers of dry mouth and how we can help you avoid them with our effective solutions in Jeffersonville, IN!
Here’s Why Dry Mouth Is A Problem!
Your salivary glands need your help if they’re going to function properly, which means you need to drink plenty of water, especially during the hot summer months, to avoid dehydration and dry mouth. Here’s what can happen if you don’t:
*Tooth Enamel Becomes Weak*
It may be the strongest substance in your body, but tooth enamel is not indestructible.
Under normal circumstances, your salivary glands are hard at work all throughout the day, creating anywhere from 2 to 4 pints of saliva in your mouth.
That saliva is used by your body to wash away food particles and debris so harmful bacteria won’t be able to use it as a food source.
It also gives your teeth a moist layer of protection, giving them a barrier against plaque acids that try to eat through your enamel.
If you follow that logic, bacteria has free reign inside your mouth without enough saliva to stop it, which means you’re left with microscopic weak spots in your tooth enamel that make dental damage, like chips and breaks, and decay and cavities more likely.
*Your Gums Are At Risk*
At every moment, you have good and bad bacteria living inside your mouth.
Naturally, it’s the bad bacteria you have to worry about, especially if you lack saliva.
Saliva is composed of mostly water, but it also contains essential minerals and proteins that ward off bacteria.
Germs thrive in a dry environment, so if your salivary glands aren’t producing adequately, your gums aren’t shielded against bacterial infection, which allows gum disease to develop and eat away at those tissues and leave your teeth without structural stability.
Another problem dry mouth creates for your gums, just as it does for your teeth, is that you don’t have enough saliva to wash away the food particles that bacteria rely on for fuel, so again, you’re defenseless against the acids that are generated during that process.
*Teeth Stain More Easily*
Dry mouth doesn’t just pose problems for your dental health.
It can create cosmetic issues for your smile, too. Obviously, unhealthy teeth and gums won’t look very attractive, but even if you manage to escape the oral health consequences of dehydration, the color of your teeth can take a dark turn without enough saliva.
Saliva coats your teeth and gums and protects them from bad bacteria and acids, but it also makes it harder for dark pigments in your food and drinks to stick to your tooth enamel.
So when you have a dry mouth, every bite and sip leaves you more susceptible to discoloration, allowing deep stains to set in on your teeth and making your smile look dull and dingy.
Find Solutions For Dry Mouth!
Don’t let the heat of summer zap your mouth of bacteria-fighting saliva!
Visit your Jeffersonville dentist for dry mouth solutions and keep your teeth and gums protected, your breath fresher, and your smile bright, shiny, and healthy!
Schedule an appointment today by calling Kirchner Dental at 812-913-6093 or contact us online.