Your saliva serves a number of incredibly important purposes. That’s why dentists in Greenville aren’t just interested in your teeth—they’re also interested in the quality and quantity of your saliva. In fact, if you’re challenged by certain dental problems or health problems, the answer is often related to your saliva.
To understand just how important your oral fluids are to your dental and general health, check out the following 7 benefits of saliva:
- The moisture from your saliva reduces friction between the tongue, lips, and cheeks to help you to speak smoothly and clearly.
- Saliva provides lubrication during eating for easier chewing and more comfortable swallowing.
- Thin saliva prevents food particles from sticking to the teeth after eating.
- Saliva is essential for moisturizing the gum tissue, tongue, throat, and the lining of the mouth.
- Enzymes that are naturally found in saliva break down food particles and improve your ability to digest the foods that you eat.
- Saliva naturally neutralizes food and plaque acids in the mouth to prevent cavities.
- Saliva constantly remineralizes the surface of the enamel for added strength after an acid attack.
If you have been challenged by an excessive number of cavities, indigestion, burning or irritation inside of the mouth, your saliva could be the cause of the problem. Often times, decreased salivation or dry mouth can be the side effect of commonly used medications (both prescription and over-the-counter), such as pain relievers, sleeping pills, allergy treatments, and blood pressure medications.
But dry mouth can also be related to serious health problems like Sjögren’s disease or cancer, so it is important to discuss the matter with both your dentist as well as your physician.
The dentist can recommend saliva substitutes if necessary, as well as other changes to your oral health regimen. To find out if your saliva is up to par, contact a dentist in Greenville for an appointment today.