The Important Role Saliva Plays in Oral Health

Saliva is so much more than just spit. Often referred to as nature’s mouthwash, saliva is crucial to many aspects of maintaining good oral health. Patients that produce insufficient saliva should see their dentist to determine why this condition of dry mouth occurs.

There are glands in the mouth that produce saliva. Chewing, sucking, or oral stimulation of any kind will generally produce saliva which is needed for:

Speaking – If the mouth is dry, the tongue will not move with fluidity against the teeth to produce clear speech. Nervousness can result in a dryer mouth so keeping water on hand if in an uncomfortable situation requiring you to speak will help keep the mouth moist and make speaking easier.

Eating – Saliva aids in food consumption making swallowing possible. It is also important in affecting how foods taste. Sour or spicy foods will throw salivary glands into overdrive producing more saliva than more bland foods might.

Digestion – Saliva helps in the breakdown of certain proteins that promote healthy digestion.

Oral Health – Saliva production is needed to help keep teeth flushed throughout the day. This is essential to keep bacteria from sitting in the mouth and plaque building up on teeth. When plaque is allowed to grow, dental decay and a risk of gum disease become a very real possibility.

If you feel that you are not producing enough saliva, your dentist can help. Quite often, the side effects from certain drugs like antihistamines taken for allergies or a cold may be at the root of your dry mouth. Some medications used to treat more serious illnesses can result in dry mouth. A modification to the dosage or a different medicine may alleviate the problem.

Dehydration due to a lack of fluids or a fever can produce a dry mouth. Solutions include an increase in the consumption of liquids. Water should be at the top of that list, with alcoholic beverages being at the very bottom. Drinks that contain caffeine can also zap the ability to produce sufficient saliva.

Excellent dental health is reliant on producing sufficient saliva. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking on sugar free candy will help the salivary glands produce. If water consumption or oral stimulation fails to provide a solution, our dentists, Drs. Bonner & Huriega can provide options to help with this problem. Call 210-616-0858 for an appointment today.