Xerostomia is a dental condition impacting the saliva levels of the oral cavity, leaving the mouth with a dry feeling that can cause destruction to the pearly whites. With a little bit of help from our staff, you can manage xerostomia; here are a few things that you should understand.
Many people believe that having a dry mouth is of little consequence, but actually dry mouth and xerostomia can cause very major side effects. To properly chew, consume food, speak and inhale, you need the correct amounts of saliva in your mouth. Spit also helps ward off oral issues like periodontal disease and cavities. A lack of spit will lower your quality of life, so it’s important to take it seriously and find treatment for it ASAP.
Sadly, there are no generally accepted surgical treatments related to addressing dry mouth and xerostomia or correcting the production of spit from the salivary glands. Most of the procedures for xerostomia are lifestyle suggestions such as dietary customizations and oral health practices, though products like saliva stimulants and spit replacements can be used to treat dry mouth with some success.
At H.T. Macon Sapp, DDS, we don’t want our patients to worry about xerostomia. If you haven’t scheduled your regular appointment or if you’d like to set up another appointment, please call the Durham, North Carolina, team of Dr. Macon Sapp now at 919-489-9171 and they’ll get you all set up.