Dry Mouth

If you’re suffering from dry mouth, the professionals at Gateway Dental Care in Pleasanton, California can help you reduce the discomfort and embarrassment caused by this frustration condition. At our office, we focus on quality care with a gentle touch and our clients comfort is our top concern.

The Deal With Dry Mouth

Dealing with dry mouth isn’t as simple as it sounds. Your mouth relies on saliva for a number of reasons, hydration often being the most obvious. When your mouth is unable to produce adequate amounts of saliva, it can cause a series of problems — some inconvenient and some more serious. Because saliva performs a cleansing action in your mouth, any disturbance to its production can allow fungi and bacteria to go unchecked. When that happens, you can almost count the days until you’re dealing with the more problematic issues of gum disease, tooth decay, and other oral infections.

Common Symptoms Of Dry Mouth

If you are experiencing oral discomfort and suspect dry mouth, check for any of the following common symptoms:

• A red sore tongue.
• Mouth feels sticky.
• Sores and cracks.
• Bad breath.

One of the first giveaways you’ll experience with dry mouth is a red, sore tongue and a sticky feeling in the mouth. This is the direct result of a dehydrated oral environment. This can extend to the outer areas of the mouth, causing you to have sores and cracks. As if this wasn’t enough, due to the mounting bacteria and fungi, you may also experience bad breath. Aside from the physical discomfort, the social embarrassment is often motive enough to address this concerning condition.

How It All Begins

Dry mouth can have a few different causes. Sometimes saliva production decreases for natural reasons such as aging. Other times it involves lifestyle factors such as smoking or chewing tobacco. Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and some medications are known to cause dry mouth. In addition to this, infections and diseases such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and Parkinson’s disease often cause people to experience this symptom. Lastly, acute conditions such as a fever, diarrhea, and vomiting can cause dehydration and a temporary dry mouth.

Get Relief Today

If you’re looking for relief from dry mouth, contact Gateway Dental Care in Pleasanton for an appointment today.