There are many things that can cause us to suffer from a dry mouth or ‘xerostomia’ in central London (aside from the pollution), lifestyle for one. If we have a bad habit of drinking too much, smoking and have a poor diet to boot, this can lead to the falling of saliva levels in the mouth. People on strong medication or who have just been through major operation (especially chemo or radio therapy) can also suffer badly from the condition. Treating it can mean changing the way we live until the saliva starts to return to the mouth. It’s important to keep the mouth in a state of hydration at all times during this recovery period; caffeine should be dropped from the menu along with smoking and drinking, and onto the menu should go a healthy diet and drink lots of water. The use of herbal products can help as can chewing and sucking on sugar-free sweets to try to coax the saliva glands to fire-up again. Drastic it may sound but without it you may start to suffer from extreme halitosis and gum disease, which can then affect the whole of the blood system and body, let alone leading to tooth decay and loss.

There can be a number of potential causes for dental cavities forming in teeth. Neglecting to brush and floss properly is a common one. What fewer people are aware of is the fact that having a persistently dry mouth can also be a contributing factor. This condition is called xerostomia and, aside from being uncomfortable for the patient, it should be dealt with in order to avoid decay to the teeth.

Xerostomia is common in adults who smoke and drink alcohol to excess, as well as some people who have poor general health. What it amounts to is reduced saliva production. Saliva is a vital natural protection against plaque. If plaque is left to flourish in the mouth it will begin to compromise the structural integrity of teeth and they will start to decay; having plenty of saliva in the mouth helps to stop this. Brushing teeth needs to happen as well of course, but having plenty of saliva is important.

You can increase the production of saliva by keeping your mouth moist. This can be achieved by sipping water and chewing gum. Drinking alcohol can be accompanied by drinking water too to ensure that saliva production is not too stymied. Think about your habits, like smoking and see if you can quit it so that your mouth gets healthier.

Dental cavities can be a real pain because do not naturally grow back if there is a hole that has formed. They will be need to be filled by your dentist and you will have to have that filling for the rest of your life. Xerostomia is also a prime cause of bad breath because a dry mouth is ideal conditions for the bad breath bacteria to survive in.

The development of holes in your teeth, known as cavities, is definitely something to be avoided. Teeth cannot grow back once a hole has formed in them and you will need to have a filling installed to protect the rest of the tooth. Most people are aware of the main cause of dental cavities: the build up of plaque which breaks down the protective layer of enamel. But what many are unaware of is that having a persistently dry mouth (known clinically as xerostamia) can be a contributing factor in the formation of dental cavities.

Xerostamia is fairly common amongst older adults and there is panoply of potential causes for the condition. Smokers often suffer because their saliva production is stymied. Those on certain medications and people undergoing certain cancer treatments can also experience extended periods of dryness in the mouth. The mouth often feels sticky and dry and sores can develop.

If this is the case then less saliva is being produced. Aside from aiding in the eating of food, saliva is absolutely crucial in strengthening the enamel which protects your teeth. If there is less saliva then your teeth can be weakened; if they are weakened then there is more opportunity for plaque to break them down and cause cavities.

Your Central London dentist will have been trained in all aspects of xerostamia. They will be adept at spotting the signs of it and then being able to act. Certain mouth washes can help increase saliva production and moisten your mouth and chewing gum and sugar free sweets can do the same. There is several medical solutions too that your dentist might prescribe.

The condition of xerostomia, or dry mouth, can raise serious issues in the mouth unless it is tackled head on. Most dentists in central London will have a view on the treatment of problem but the diagnosis and treatments are pretty much universal. This condition is more prevalent among those of us who are on serious medications, have had radio therapy recently or suffer from extreme stress. Essentially, a dry mouth reduces the flow of saliva in the mouth, which is an important ally in fighting off bacteria in the mouth. Without it, bacteria can build up very quickly, leading on to plaque, gum disease develop and eventually dental cavities and tooth decay. The sufferer can also suffer from halitosis and speech impediments. To fight dry mouth requires a very strict regime and change in lifestyle. Smoking and heavy should be eliminated immediately and your diet should be changed to one that is as healthy as possible (and to one that suits you best). At all times, the mouth should be kept as hydrated as possible through drinking lots of water and sucking on or chewing, sugar based sweets. Caffeine and sugar based drinks should also be completely avoided at first until the problem is under control, and stress kept to a minimum. It may take time at first to beat, but as your body re-adjusts itself into this new regime, saliva levels will begin to return and the balance in your mouth will be restored.

If you take medication, or have had some form of radio therapy in central London of late, there is a good chance that you may suffer from some form of xerostomia or dry mouth. One of the biggest side effects of this problem is the loss of saliva to the mouth. It can be an extremely uncomfortable condition and can lead to other serious complications in the mouth, especially if you wear dentures. Of course, the usual ‘criminals’ such as smoking and bad diet, stress and constant dehydration, can help to compound the problem. Saliva, is important to the mouth, it breaks up the acids and bacteria that lead to plaque, gum disease and cavities in the teeth. A lack of saliva will also lead to bad breath and speech impediments. It’s important to have your dentist monitor the problem so that risk of gum disease and decay are checked straight away. In the meantime, it’s important to fight the afore mention ‘criminals’. It’s always good to keep the mouth hydrated as much as possible by drinking lots of water and using sugar free sweet to activate the saliva in the mouth. Good hygiene and diet should be a high priority, avoid heavy smoking if you can and excessive drinking.

A dry mouth can be caused by many factors; one of the most common is too much sugar in the blood. It needn`t be diabetes that causes high blood sugar levels either, too much alcohol will also cause Xerostomia says a Central London dentist. The main damage that a dry mouth does is to create a breeding ground for bad bacteria, this thrives in a warm, dry environment and as it dies off it attaches itself to the teeth in the form of Tartar. Tartar rots the root of a tooth by weakening the enamel and wearing it down, if you visit your dentist every 6 months, as you should do, then they will usually remove the clinging Tartar that brushing alone just won`t shift. Anyone can get a free sugar level test at the chemist; it involves a short, sharp pricking of the skin on a finger. This will produce a droplet of blood that is soaked up by a special plastic stick that is attached to a meter, in just a few seconds your level is produced on an LED screen on the hand held machine. Drinking water will give you some relief, and will help to neutralise the bacteria in your mouth, but this is a short solution to a long term problem. You need to clean your teeth and use a mouth wash also throughout the day. Tooth decay is one of the first symptoms of Xerostomia, and at the first sign you need to consult both your dentist and your G.P. If you have diabetes then you will need to deal with it quickly, not all diabetics are given injectable Insulin, and many type 2 sufferers are simply given a diet sheet and some tablets. Smoking is another cause of a dry mouth, and this too will produce sweet saliva that bacteria thrive on. Don`t suffer with Xerostomia, get some help, and your teeth will last longer

Xerostomia, more commonly known as dry mouth, is a condition caused by a lack of production of saliva. This can cause problems because saliva is integral in the mouth for eating, talking and the regulation of bacteria. There are hundreds of millions of bacteria that live in the warm and moist oral cavity controlled by saliva, so any interruption in this process can cause the numbers of bacteria to rise sharply. This can cause unpleasant oral hygiene conditions such as halitosis.

This lack of saliva can also lead to a dramatic rise in the number and seriousness of dental cavities. Saliva also removes bacteria that form part of the filmy substance called plaque, which causes enamel erosion. Plaque releases acid when the bacteria and food debris in it break down gradually destroying the protective layer of enamel and causing cavities. Saliva is the mouths natural defence against plaque so a drop in production can be dangerous for your teeth. Saliva also has the effect of re-mineralising the enamel, making it stronger and more resistant to attack from plaque acids.

Xerostomia is caused by a number of factors ranging from alcohol consumption in excess, diabetes and even physical trauma. It is also a common side-effects of many medications such as anti-depressants. Treatment usually involves eliminating the cause of the problem and paying extra attention to oral hygiene. This will certainly help to reduce the impact of bad breath and dental cavities. Central London dentists can examine your mouth for the signs and symptoms of xerostomia and can offer advice and improved hygiene methods to help you deal with this unpleasant condition.

Xerostomia or the more widely known dry mouth is a common ailment that most individuals suffer from. It is characterized by lack of saliva in the mouth which hampers activities that involve basic jaw movements.

It also has a significant effect on the speech of the person wherein the talking becomes slurry and the individual is unable to express himself properly. Even if he does mange to talk well, he will be grinding his teeth later on to subside the pain. A dentist in the City of London reasoned that dry mouth is basically due to absence of saliva in the mouth which extremely common among smokers.

The causes of dry mouth cannot be generalized since it may arise due to several reasons which are different for every other patient. Halitosis and cavities are the most commonly seen effects of dry mouth since the saliva, which normally forms a protective layer over the enamel is absent thus exposing it.

Major causes of Xerostomia are dehydration, Sjogren’s syndrome, diabetes, anxiety, medications etc. Elders as well as children are equally susceptible to the dry mouth syndrome and good oral care is the only way out.

The treatment for dry mouth involves mitigating the symptoms and the associated pain. Patients who have undergone chemotherapy are also reported to have dry mouth. Sugarless fluids, chewing xylitol containing gums and using carboxymethyl cellulose saliva substitute mouthwash works wonders.

The bottom line is that if you take good care of your teeth, you can say goodbye to Xerostomia.

Halitosis, or bad breath is a problem that many people don’t even know that they have, that can cause them embarrassment. You should visit your London dentist if you feel or you were told that you have bad breath. Your London dentist can help you to solve this problem. There are many causes of bad breath, and your dentist can help figure out the cause and suggest treatments. Certain foods have been known to cause bad breath, including onions and garlic. When these foods are ingested, their metabolites remain in your blood stream until they are expired by the air in your lungs. Even though you try to mask the odour of these foods, with toothpastes or mouthwashes, the odours remain until these foods are completely metabolised and eliminated from the body.
Other causes of bad breath include bacteria and food debris left behind in your mouth. These can be removed by proper oral hygiene practices. Mouthwash use really only masks bad breath, and can in turn reduce friendly bacteria in your mouth, thus causing an overgrowth of more harmful and sulphur-producing bacteria, that add to the bad breath. Mouth dryness (xerostomia) can lead to bad breath and even make it worse if bad breath already is present. Mouth dryness doesn’t allow saliva to wash away bacteria and food debris normally. Sugar-free hard candies and chewing gum can help. Certain lifestyle factors can also cause bad breath, such as smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages. Medical ailments can also lead to bad breath. Your medical history will be reviewed by your London dentist, and if necessary, your dentist will refer you to a physician that can help with these problems and the resultant bad breath.

Dry mouth (i.e., xerostomia) occurs commonly in older people that take certain systemic medications. Results of mouth dryness tend to be increased dental diseases (especially decay), speech problems, problems chewing and swallowing, and changed or decreased taste perception. People with mouth dryness and gum recession have a higher incidence of root surface caries. Root surfaces are more prone to decay than the crown of the teeth, because the structure covering the roots (i.e., cementum) is softer than enamel.
Nutritionally, people with xerostomia tend to have numerous deficiencies of vitamins, minerals and fibre. The use of salivary substitutes and stimulants can help, as well as ongoing prevention and dental treatments. A referral to a physician can also help, as some medications may be substituted for some that do not have this mouth drying effect. Your London dentist will suggest some home oral products that can help, including xylitol-containing toothpastes and chewing gums, that stimulate saliva flow. Visit your London Dental Clinic to get help with mouth dryness!