We have all relied on a medication or two at one point in our life. But have you realized that there is a connection between certain medications and your oral health? Both medications that your doctor prescribes and medications that you buy from the store can cause your mouth to become dry. If you believe that you are suffering from dry mouth as a result of a medication, our dentist near Itasca is here to help provide solutions.
How Medications Affect Oral Health
Your mouth naturally produces saliva which helps prevent food from building up inside of your mouth. Saliva also plays a role in neutralizing the acid that plaque produces, keeping your teeth free of decay and damage. As you can imagine, having dry mouth will have a negative impact on your oral health. It increases your risk of infection by allowing the acid and other damaging substances to sit on the surface of your teeth.
Asthma Medication
Asthma medication is just one example of how a prescription can impact your oral health. The process of inhaling medication through your mouth can ultimately lead to a fungal infection referred to as oral candidiasis. This infection can appear as white spots throughout the mouth and can even cause pain. One option that can help reduce the risk of developing this infection is to rinse your mouth with water after using an inhaler.
Cancer Treatments
Unfortunately, cancer treatments may also affect your oral health. In this case, we can prescribe particular medications to help prevent dry mouth from becoming an expected side effect. The sooner you let the dentist serving Itsaca about other medications that you are taking, the sooner we can step in and help.
Please schedule an appointment with our dentist serving Itasca if you’re experiencing excessive dry mouth.
