How Do Saliva Disorders Contribute to Tooth Decay

Posted on November 27, 2017

The saliva in your mouth may seem like an insignificant part of your body’s function, but it is critical to your overall health. Salivary disorders, like dry mouth, can impact your ability to speak, chew, swallow, and eat. On top of that, the saliva in your mouth is one of your body’s primary defenses against cavities and other oral infections like gum disease.

In this blog post, we want to examine how salivary disorders can contribute to rapid tooth decay. If you’re suffering from dry mouth or any tooth or gum pain, make sure that you call Dr. Skoulas today at (415) 757-0110. Dry mouth can have a serious impact on your body’s ability to fight infection so make sure you immediately get in touch with us. San Francisco financial district patients love how conveniently located Dr. Skoulas’ offices are, and we would love to help you get your oral health back on track.

What Does Saliva Do?

The saliva in your mouth has a wide range of critical functions. It’s the first step in digesting food. It also coats your teeth and gums to protect them from the bacteria in your mouth. It washes away food, bacteria, and other harmful contaminants in your mouth. It acts as a lubricant when you speak, swallow, and chew. Finally, it helps remineralize your teeth and keep them healthy.

Tooth Decay and Saliva Disorders

You have 3 pairs of salivary glands around your mouth. There are a variety of different reasons why your salivary glands can stop working, and if they do, the lack of saliva in your mouth can cause a whole host of issues.

• Cavities – Your saliva protects your teeth from cavities by washing away the bad bacteria that cause them. Saliva also coats your teeth. Low saliva levels in the mouth can lead to more cavities.
• Bad breath – Another issue is bad breath. Having less saliva means the bad, stinky bacteria can grow unhindered.
• Gum infections – Without proper saliva flow, your gums can become inflamed and irritated, leaving them more vulnerable to infection.
• Difficulty speaking – Without saliva in your mouth, it’s hard to move your tongue, cheeks, and lips to speak.

If you’re suffering from low saliva, make sure you call us. San Francisco financial district patients need to have sweet smelling breath and the ability to communicate effectively to be successful, not only in their careers but also out of the office in more informal social settings.

How to Get Started with Dr. Skoulas As Your Dentist

San Francisco financial district patients barely have time to take a lunch break, let alone get their teeth cleaned or get a cavity filled. But because Dr. Skoulas has her offices in the heart of the San Francisco financial district, our patients can be in and out with plenty of time to spare.

Plus, we offer anesthetic reversal, which allows patients to get all the comfort from local anesthetic, without having to spend the rest of the day with half of their mouth numb. We also offer Netflix and Spotify in all of our dental chairs to help our patients relax.

Our patients love that Dr. Skoulas is a kind, compassionate, and gentle dentist. San Francisco financial district patients that suffer from dental anxiety enjoy how Dr. Skoulas helps them feel relaxed and at ease throughout their experience. Just take a look at our Reviews Page to see what our patients have said about working with Dr. Skoulas.

Give us a call today at (415) 757-0110 to talk with one of our friendly and highly-trained staff. We’re more than happy to answer your questions and talk with you about your concerns.