Xerostomia (zeer-oh-stoh-mee-ah) is the medical term for the chronic condition of dry mouth. Everyone experiences a dry mouth from time-to-time, but when it becomes a continuous experience it may be time to make an appointment with one of our highly experienced Dentists at Tindale Dental Centre, as you could have a problem with producing saliva.
Some of the symptoms of dry mouth include:
- A dry, sticky feeling in the mouth or throat
- Difficulty tasting, chewing or swallowing
- Trouble speaking
- Gum irritation
- Bad breath
- Mouth sores
- Dry cracked lips
Saliva is important for many functions – it keeps your mouth moist, your teeth strong, is lubricating, assists with digestion and also contains antibacterial compounds. A constant lack of saliva will negatively affect the environment within your mouth leading to irritation of soft tissue and tooth decay. This can then result in inflammation and a higher susceptibility to infection.
There are several possible causes of dry mouth, such as certain medications or medical treatments, stress, ageing, smoking and autoimmune disorders. As effective treatment will depend on the cause it is important that you seek professional advice, preferably before it develops further complications.
Make your appointment with our experienced Dental team at Tindale Dental in Penrith today on (02) 4722 6115 or (02) 4726 5400 to schedule an appointment. We are here to help you with restoring your oral health.