One of the main causes of dental cavities in Swindon stems from the problem of having a dry mouth, especially in older people. Cavities arise from bacteria being allowed to develop in the mouth, normally from certain starch based foods and drinks or sweets that contain sugar. Combined with poor oral hygiene, the bacteria will form tartar and plaque in the mouth and the acid from these attacks the enamel of the teeth- cavities soon set in and the tooth will suffer decay if left unchecked. The natural fight against the build up of bacteria relies on the mouths saliva, but take away the saliva and the mouth becomes dry, leaving the teeth exposed and vulnerable. Dry mouth can be caused by many things; medication, radiotherapy and poor diet are the main causes of dry mouth. Smoking, anxiety and a poor immune system also contribute to the problem, leading to bad breath and even speech impediment. Dental hygiene is very important in the fight against dry mouth, as is regular contact with the dentist for advice. It’s important that the body is kept constantly hydrated with water during this process to build up the saliva levels; sugar free gum and sweets are also useful for stimulating the production of saliva whilst avoiding any drinks that contain caffeine.
It is considered that a quarter of people in Bath suffer from dry mouths, and it gets more prevalent with age and it’s caused by a myriad of things. Certain medications can affect the salivary gland, reducing the amount of saliva produced. Radiotherapy too can damage these glands. Bad diet, smoking, blocked sinuses, anxiety and dehydration can also reduce saliva in the mouth leaving it extremely vulnerable to other problems. Saliva is important to the health of the mouth. It breaks down the acids in foods and fights the bacteria that forms plaque and if a dry mouth is allowed to continue and go untreated, the plaque build up can lead to gum disease and invariably, dental decay, cavities and eventually tooth loss and decay can be expensive to treat. A dry mouth will also affect speech and lead to bad breath. Regular check-ups become important with a dry mouth, to monitor any growth in gum disease or tooth decay and to get advice on ways of tackling the problem. Dental hygiene and diet are the important factors in this. Drinking lots of water, avoiding caffeine based drinks, sucking sugar free sweets and ice cubes all aid the problem as does avoiding smoking and heavy smoking.
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry