#10 THE DRY MOUTH EPIDEMIC
Over the last 5-10 years I am noticing what I call a “DENTAL EPIDEMIC”.
Epidemic is defined as- a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community. What I mean by DENTAL EPIDEMIC is that many of my patients over this time period have developed a dry mouth. Dry mouth then leads to decay and gum disease which are both caused by bacteria and therefore qualify as a disease. There are many causes of dry mouth that range from snoring to cancer therapy and medications. I have seen many other causes in my years of practice including stroke, diabetes, yeast infections, Alzheimer’s, tobacco use, alcohol and Sjogren’s disease. Most of the epidemic that I am referring to, I believe is caused by medications or a mixture of medications.
In my opinion I feel like many patients are overmedicated. What I am seeing in my practice is that roughly 40-50% of my patients over the age of 50 are on 5-10 different medications including diabetes meds, cholesterol lowering drugs, high blood pressure drugs, osteoporosis drugs, depression drugs, anxiety drugs, sleeping medications, headache medications, diuretics, antihistamines, heartburn medications and prostate medications.
Some of these alone can cause dry mouth but several of them together over a period of 3-5 years can start to wreak havoc. I had one lady who had not had a cavity in about 20 years but had been on high blood pressure meds, osteoporosis meds and prediabetic meds and she showed up a little late for her 6-month cleaning with about 20 cavities. That can obviously be a big problem. You see, saliva helps prevent tooth decay by neutralizing acids and toxins produced by bacteria. Saliva also has minerals such as calcium to keep the teeth strong. When the saliva dries up then the teeth and gums are very susceptible to those acids and toxins and here come the problems. Most of the research that I read says that about 90% of dry mouth cases are caused by medications!
Another problem that I see is that patients tend to not tell their dentist or their physician about all the meds prescribed by other doctors. So, in many cases, the dentist is not aware of what medicines the patient is taking and then we don’t get to have the proper discussion with the patient. It is very very important that each patient inform each doctor of what they are taking and any changes at every appointment.
Obviously, many of these drugs are life supporting and crucial to overall health so it is also crucial that
patients DO NOT quit taking medications without a detailed discussion with their provider as this might do more harm than good. The biggest causes from drugs that I see are antihistamines, high blood pressure drugs, hormone replacement and diabetic medications.
Let’s discuss options of what you should do if you notice a dry mouth
1. Immediately tell your dentist and your physician! Many times, the problem can be resolved simply just by having a discussion with them. And don’t hesitate as it may cause infections, abscessed teeth and tooth loss and other problems in a short period of time.
2. Also call and discuss the issue with your pharmacist. Many times, they can recommend simple
solutions such just changing the time of day that you take your medicine or taking it in 2 doses etc.
3. If possible, avoid some of the non-essential drugs like antihistamines for nasal allergies but NEVER STOP taking your prescription medications without talking to your doctor.
4. Consider sleeping with a humidifier if you snore or breath through your mouth.
5. Drink lots of water throughout the day. We have all heard this, but many reports suggest that you drink half of your weight in ounces of water every day. So, if you weigh 100 lbs. then drink 50 ozs of water.
6. Avoid or cut back on dehydrating habits such as caffeine, alcohol use, stop smoking, use alcohol free mouthwash, chew sugarless gum, suck on sugarless candies and really really improve your overall oral hygiene. Make sure to brush after every meal and snack and make sure to floss after dinner.
7. AVOID ALL SUGAR and starchy carbohydrates like the plague!
8. Consult with your dentist about fluoride rinses and toothpaste etc. Also make sure that you clean your toothbrush and soak it in something like Listerine to kill the germs.
9. Take your vitamin supplements-Vitamin C is great for oral health but also builds your immune system.
10. Don’t wait until you have cavities and gum infections and then think you will start implementing all these issues. Cavities and gum infections can come on rapidly under the right circumstances.
SUMMARY – In my opinion, dry mouth is becoming an epidemic and causing lots of decay and gum infections. Try all the above preventive measures if you feel like you have dry mouth. Be sure to consult your dentist, physician and pharmacist immediately if you notice a dry mouth. Be sure to AVOID all sugar and starchy carbs and brush and floss like crazy until the problem is resolved!!
DON’T FEED THE BAD BUGS SUGAR, PROPERLY REMOVE ALL YOU CAN-FLOSS, BRUSH AND SEE YOUR DENTIST AND PHYSICIAN!