Dry Mouth Sufferers: See Your Dentist for Relief

Your senior dental coverage insurance plan covers the preventive care that is so important to keeping your teeth healthy and clean. For seniors who are taking medications that cause dry mouth, it is absolutely vital that you visit the dentist for a regular checkup at least twice a year. Since your senior dental coverage takes care of the bill, there is no reason not to drop in.
Xerostomia, known commonly as dry mouth, is a side effect of more than 400 medications. When taken for long periods of time, this dry mouth side effect can cause tooth decay. Without adequate saliva flow, bacteria, plaque and the by-products they produce can accumulate in the mouth and make you more vulnerable to gum disease and tooth decay.

The natural process of saliva constantly washes the plaque and bacteria off your teeth. Saliva also contains minerals which help to keep your teeth strong. If you suffer from dry mouth because of medication side effects, this natural washing and strengthening processes are interrupted.

Talk to your dentist about relief for dry mouth. Some therapies may include:

• Drinking ginger, chamomile, or green tea to stimulate the salivary glands
• Taking Vitamin C to help prevent gum disease
• Acupuncture has been used to improve dry mouth in some cancer patients.
• Amifostine (Ethyol) is a new medication that protects the cells of the mouth against radiation and chemotherapy agents.
• Pilocarpine hydrochloride (Salagen) stimulates the salivary glands.
• Cevimeline (Evoxac) is used in the treatment of dry mouth associated with Sjogren’s Syndrome.
• Artificial saliva is a mouth gel which lubricates your mouth tissues.
• Chew sugarless gum and drink lots of water throughout the day.

Another effect of medications is gingival enlargement, a condition in which the gums become swollen and begin to grow over the teeth. Eventually this overgrowth of gum tissue can cause a severe periodontal infection. Calcium channel blockers sometimes used to control high blood pressure are just one category of medications that can cause overgrowth of gums.

To help relieve swollen gums, try these two techniques for relief until you get in to see the dentist:

• Rinse several times a day with salt water (1 teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of warm water).
• Rinse several times a day with lemon water (the juice of 1 lemon in 4 ounces of water).

In addition to offering advice to relieve dry mouth, a trained dental professional can spot signs of diabetes, mouth and throat cancers, soft tissue lesions, and adverse drug interactions during a routine dental examination. See your dentist twice a year, not only for squeaky clean teeth and a healthy mouth, but for the added peace of mind of having another trusted doctor take care of your overall health.

Senior dental coverage plans should provide discounts on the procedures seniors need to keep their teeth healthy so you can chew with ease, smile with self-confidence, and eat comfortably. Ask your dentist on your next visit what she recommends to relieve the icky feeling of dry mouth.