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What You Get From Regular Professional Tooth Cleanings

What You Get From Regular Professional Tooth Cleanings

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What You Get From Regular Professional Tooth Cleanings

It’s easy to ignore those routine dental cleanings, especially if you don’t have any pain. However, a tooth cleaning is an important piece of your overall dental health. Check out these five benefits you get from regular professional cleanings.

1. Lower Risk of Cavities

Of course, the most obvious benefit of regular dental cleanings is less risk of cavities. As plaque and tartar build up on your teeth, they damage your tooth enamel. If left untreated, this leads to tooth decay or cavities. Regular brushing and flossing at home removes easy-to-reach plaque. However, a dental cleaning is the best way to get rid of hard-to-clean areas, such as below the gum line. A professional tooth cleaning is also the only way to remove tartar effectively without damaging enamel.

2. Reduced Gum Inflammation

All that plaque and tartar on your teeth doesn’t just affect the tooth tissue. It affects your gums too. Too much tartar can cause your gums to become inflamed and sore. If the tartar isn’t removed, it can lead to gingivitis. With a good cleaning, the tartar is removed, and the inflammation to your gums is reduced. In some cases, the irritation may cause pockets to develop, which harbor plaque and tartar. If these pockets are deep enough, your dentist may suggest scaling and root planing to clean and smooth below the gum line.

3. Brighter Smile

True, the best way to whiten your smile is with tooth whitening. However, if you have tobacco, food or beverage stains on your teeth, such as stains from coffee or red wine, professional cleanings can help remove those. When the dentist polishes your teeth, some of these stains are removed. After your cleaning, you’ll notice, whiter teeth without the need to schedule a tooth whitening session.

4. Increased Chance of Catching Serious Problems Early

Your dentist does more than just clean your teeth. A good dentist also looks for signs of more serious problems. For starters, with X-rays, your dentist looks for any signs of infection that may require a root canal. However, your dentist can spot more deadly problems too. If you show any signs or symptoms of oral cancer, your chances of catching it early vastly increase if you regularly see your dentist for cleanings. Spotting any cancer early is key in winning the fight.

5. Education for At-Home Care

When you go in for your regular dental cleaning, it is the perfect time to ask your dentist questions about your oral health care. Are you unsure about the toothpaste you are using, which type of floss is best, how often should you be flossing, etc.? Find out everything you can do at home to make sure your mouth stays healthy and you don’t have to spend a bunch of money on extensive dental work.

Tooth cleaning is simple, fast and effective, so there is no excuse to skip your next appointment. Cleaning helps to keep your teeth healthy and beautiful without costing a fortune. For more information, or to schedule a cleaning, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

5 Tips to Care for Your Toddler’s Teeth

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock | Vitalinka

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock | Vitalinka

Children have to be taught how to do just about everything, and caring for their teeth is no different. As a parent, it’s your job to foster good habits and help their teeth grow healthy.

Here are five tips on dental care for toddlers:

1. Set a Good Example

One of the most important things you can do for your child is to set a good example. If you eat a good amount of sugary food and don’t brush your teeth or floss, your child will naturally learn those habits. Even if you insist they eat healthy and brush their teeth often, they are more likely to adopt your bad habits. Set a good example by avoiding sugary foods and beverages. Let your kids see that you brush and floss your teeth on a regular basis. By setting a good example, your child subconsciously learns these good habits without you having to say much.

2. Take Your Child to the Dentist

It may seem unnecessary to take your child to the dentist until they have permanent teeth, but that isn’t the case. Your child should start seeing the dentist by age 1. This is an important time in your child’s life. Not only is it a chance for you and your child to learn about good oral care, tooth development, etc., it also means your child’s primary teeth are cared for, which is important. Children with rotting primary teeth are more likely to have problems with their permanent teeth.

3. Help Relieve Pain From Erupting Teeth

As those first teeth emerge, it can be painful for your child. Help your child by relieving the pain from erupting teeth. Talk to your dentist about pain relief gels and medications for teething. At home, you can rub the gums with your finger or use a frozen teething ring. These are safe, effective ways to help alleviate some of the pain. If you notice your child develops a fever while teething, contact your pediatrician.

4. Brush Your Child’s Teeth Right

At first, obviously, your child can’t brush their own teeth. However, once they can, it’s still important to monitor them until they have it down, usually at 8 years old. Correct them if they miss a spot, go too fast or are brushing incorrectly. When brushing, make sure that only a small amount of paste is used and use a soft-bristled brush. When brushing, have your child start with the inside of the teeth, then the outside and finally the surface. The bristles should be angled upward toward the gum line.

5. Don’t Let Your Child Suck Their Thumb After Permanent Teeth Appear

It’s not uncommon for a toddler to suck their thumb or to use a pacifier, and that’s perfectly fine. However, once permanent teeth start to erupt, you need to help your child break that habit. Continuing to thumb suck at this point could cause teeth to grow awkwardly, which leads to premature tooth wear, dental decay and a misaligned bite. To help your child break the habit, praise them when they aren’t thumb sucking and try to solve any anxiety they have.

It’s up to you to care for your child’s mouth to ensure they have the habits and skills they need to take care of their teeth as adults. If you would like more information regarding dental care for toddlers, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Why Should You Consider Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain Veneers

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Porcelain veneers are a popular cosmetic dental procedure — and with good reason. They have many benefits and are affordable. If you have thought about getting veneers, but aren’t sure if they are right for you yet, check out these four reasons you should consider getting porcelain veneers.

They Instantly Straighten Teeth

Braces are a great way to straighten teeth, and with invisible braces like Invisalign, you don’t have to suffer the stigma of a metal mouth. However, braces do take a long time to work. If you are looking for a way to fix your mildly crooked/gapped teeth fast, consider veneers. The entire process does take a few weeks, but once you have your beautiful veneers, your teeth appear straight. Plus, because your teeth aren’t actually moving, you don’t have to worry about wearing a retainer to prevent them from becoming crooked again.

Veneers Hide Stains That Can’t Be Whitened

Everyone wants a bright white smile, and thanks to teeth whitening, you can get a beautiful smile fast. Unfortunately, not every discoloration can be whitened. While tobacco stains, food stains and drink stains usually whiten with ease, there are some stains that tooth whitening doesn’t fix well or at all, such as discoloration from too much fluoride. Luckily, you don’t have to accept these stains. Veneers sit on the front surface of your teeth, so they hide any stain. Porcelain veneers resist stains well, but if they do manage to become stained, they cannot be whitened.

They Add a Protective Layer to Teeth

Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, but that doesn’t make it impossible to destroy. Eating foods and beverages high in sugar or acids and not taking proper care of your teeth can cause enamel erosion, which exposes your teeth to decay. Enamel cannot be regrown. Once you’ve lost it, it’s gone for good. If a lot of enamel has deteriorated from your teeth, your dentist may recommend veneers to protect your teeth from decay. They won’t be able to protect the backs of your teeth or your back teeth, so porcelain crowns may be necessary in some cases.

They Fix Chips and Uneven Teeth

A last advantage of veneers is that they make your teeth look perfect. If you have chips on some of your front teeth, don’t worry, the veneer will hide it. If you have teeth that are too long, too short, oddly shaped or uneven, veneers can fix that too. The lab can design the veneer to fit your tooth while giving the appearance of an ideal tooth. Plus, because porcelain looks almost like normal tooth tissue, no one will be able to tell you have veneers.

Veneers are a great option to improve the appearance of your smile. However, keep in mind that this is a permanent decision. Once the dentist has filed your enamel down to fit the veneer, you’ll need them for life. Of course, once you see how great you look with them, you’ll want them forever. For more information about veneers, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Antibiotics for Dental Procedures After Joint Replacement

Antibiotics

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock | Feng Yu

Your mouth has a lot of bacteria in it. Typically, as long as you care for your teeth, you don’t have to worry about bacteria from your mouth reaching another part of your body. However, if you have recently had joint replacement surgery, there are many situations that could increase the chance of joint infection. If you’ve had joint replacement surgery, learn more about antibiotics for dental procedures and when they are necessary.

Why Do You Need Antibiotics?

When you have a joint replacement, one of the most dangerous possible side effects is an infection in the joint. When your dentist works on your teeth, even minor services could allow the bacteria in your mouth to enter your blood stream. From there, it has the ability to reach any part of your body, including the joint replacement. Even after the area has healed, there is a risk of infection after dental work, which is why it’s important to tell your dentist if you’ve had joint replacement surgery.

Who Needs Preventative Antibiotics?

Just having joint replacement doesn’t necessarily mean you will need preventative antibiotics. In most cases, you also have to have:

  • Inflammatory arthritis
  • Weakened immune system from disease, medication or radiation
  • Type 1 Diabetes
  • Had joint replacement in the last two years
  • Had a previous infection in the joint

These conditions all increase your chance of getting a further infection. Therefore, if any of these ring true, make sure to tell your dentist. Depending on your history and the treatment, your dentist will determine if antibiotics are the right choice.

What Procedures Require Antibiotics?

Not every procedure requires antibiotics. For example, if you are just getting some X-rays, your dentist probably won’t suggest antibiotics. Most of the time, you’ll only need antibiotics if there is a possibility of blood exposure, such as:

  • Extractions
  • Dental implants
  • Root canal
  • Local anesthetic injection (even before a filling)

Also, if your gums are tender from gum disease, you’ll also need antibiotics for gum disease procedures and regular cleanings (because your sore gums are likely to bleed).

What Kind of Antibiotics Should You Expect?

There are typically two ways your dentist will provide the antibiotics. If you can take pills, you’ll be given a prescription for oral medication. If you can’t take oral medication, the dentist can administer an injection an hour before the procedure. Types of antibiotics your dentist may prescribe include:

  • Amoxicillin
  • Cephalexin
  • Cephradine
  • Clindamycin (if you are allergic to penicillin)

Taking care of your artificial joint after surgery is important, and one of the key steps is talking with your dentist. Discuss your procedure and history. Your dentist will use this to determine when antibiotics for dental procedures are necessary to keep you and your joints healthy. For more information about the connection between dental care, antibiotics and joint replacement, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Family Dentist

family dentist

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4 Things You Should Know About Family Dentists

If you’re looking for a great dentist in the Santa Cruz area, you must consider choosing a family dentist. Family dentists offer many types of treatments and have many advantages.

Check out these four things you may not know about a family dentist.

1. They See Patients of All Ages

Get your whole family’s treatments done in one location with Landmark Dental family dentist. It’s right there in the name: “family” dentist, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that a family dentist like Landmark Dental in Santa Cruz sees patients of all ages. You don’t have to take your child to a pediatric dentist, your parents to a geriatric dentist and yourself to a general dentist. Landmark offers services targeted at different age groups, such as sealants for children.

The benefits of choosing one family dentist for your entire family are convenience and comfort. You can schedule all your cleanings in lumped appointments, so you don’t have to miss work on more than one day. Also, the dentist gets to know you and your family better, which makes everyone a little more comfortable about going to the dentist.

2. Many Offer Major Services

You may think that a family dentist can’t offer much more than cleanings, X-rays and yearly exams. While they do offer these important services, that’s not all they offer. Many family dentists also offer major services you wouldn’t expect. Many offer services such as extraction, dental bridge and dental crowns, so you don’t have to go see a specialist.

They may even offer more specialized services. For example, at Landmark Dental Group, you can have your root canal therapy performed without having to go see an endodontist. This is especially important because people tend to fear root canals. However, if you are able to have yours performed by your regular dentist, you know what to expect and feel less anxious than if you have to see a specialist you don’t know.

3. They Typically Offer Cosmetic Services

Cosmetic dentistry is exploding. To keep up with the demand, more and more general dentists are learning these valuable skills. So it’s no wonder so many family dentists offer cosmetic services. It isn’t surprising to find that a dentist provides treatments like tooth whitening, porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers and tooth-colored fillings.

Some dentists, however, go above and beyond to ensure their patients get a gorgeous smile without having to see a specialist. At Landmark Dental Group, if you have missing teeth, you don’t have to choose between a bridge or dentures because they offer dental implants.

4. They’ll Give You a Healthy, Beautiful Smile

The best thing about family dentists, however, is that they are dedicated to give you a smile you want. Of course, this starts with a healthy foundation of strong teeth. Therefore, your dentist will work with you to create a treatment plan that will get your teeth healthy with cleanings, fillings, root planing and scaling, etc. If you already have a healthy smile, your dentist will help you keep it that way.

For many people, however, having a healthy smile isn’t enough, but a dentist who only focuses on cosmetic dentistry may not be the best option. When you choose a dentist who also wants to keep your smile healthy, you’ll get a treatment plan that is perfect for improving the look of your smile without impacting the health.

Choose a dentist that can treat your whole family and provide a wide range of services. You’ll get a healthy, beautiful smile. For more information, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Oral Health for Diabetics – A Twofold Attack

Oral health for diabetics

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Diabetes is a common disease. In fact, about 9.3 percent of the US has this condition. Diabetes, however, doesn’t just affect your body’s ability to produce insulin. It affects many other parts of the body, particularly because it affects how well your body fights infection. One part of your body that is susceptible to diabetes is your mouth. If you have diabetes, learn about oral health for diabetics.

Oral Symptoms of Uncontrolled Diabetes

Uncontrolled diabetes can affect many parts of your body, and your mouth is no exception. If you suspect you may be developing diabetes, or if you just want to know how your diabetes can affect your mouth, you must know the oral symptoms of diabetes. One of the biggest problems is that your mouth may have less saliva. This causes dry mouth, which isn’t just uncomfortable. Due to the fact that your body doesn’t have enough saliva to wash away bacteria, your teeth are more prone to decay.

Because diabetes makes it harder to fight infection, infections of the mouth are also possible. Gum disease and tooth infections can occur, and your body has a hard time fighting these off. If you develop a wound in your mouth, diabetes can slow healing time.

What’s the Big Deal With Inflamed Gums?

Minor gum inflammation can be a mild annoyance, but if left untreated, it can cause major dental problems. First, your gums become sore, inflamed and bleeding. Eventually, your gums start to recede, exposing the roots of your teeth and increasing the risk of decay. As the disease progresses, it may affect your jawbone, causing it to diminish, which increases the risk of tooth loss.

Gum disease is also bad for your diabetes. An uncontrolled infection makes it harder for you to control your blood sugar, which puts you in danger and increases your chance of other diabetes complications. On top of that, studies have shown that gum disease can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.

How Can You Protect Yourself?

Protecting yourself from the problems associated with diabetes is a twofold attack.

1.) Make sure you continue to care for your smile with good at-home care. You’ll also want to ensure you see your dentist regularly, and divulge that you have diabetes. Your dentist will help keep your mouth clean, which in turn reduces the risk of inflammation. Your dentist can also help look for gum disease before it happens. If you do develop gum disease, it can actually have a negative affect on blood sugar control.

2.) Follow your medical doctor’s instructions. Keep your blood sugar at the right levels and use your medications appropriately. When your diabetes is under control, your body fights infections better, reducing the risk of gum disease. Make sure you also avoid smoking. Smoking decreases your body’s ability to fight infection.

Everyone should take good care of their teeth, but if you are a diabetic, poor dental health can actually affect your diabetes. If you would like more information regarding oral health for diabetics, or if you would like to schedule an appointment, contact Landmark Dental Group in Santa Cruz today. We’ll help you take control of your diabetes and your oral health.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Tooth Extraction

tooth extraction

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5 Reasons You May Need Tooth Extraction

Nobody wants to hear the dreaded words “tooth extraction” from their dentist. However, sometimes, it is the best option for a healthy smile. Check out these five reasons you may need a tooth extraction, and why it is a good idea to allow your dentist to pull that tooth.

1. Severe Damage

A quick filling here and there can fix minor cavities. However, if you have failed to take care of your teeth, you may experience severe damage, such as major decay, cracks or chips. In some situations, your dentist can rebuild the tooth and strengthen/protect it with a dental crown. However, depending on the extent of damage, your dentist may prefer to extract the tooth to prevent future problems or pain.

2. Impaction

Teeth are supposed to grow upright, but occasionally, they grow with a slant. This is known as an impacted tooth, and it is common in wisdom teeth. With an impacted tooth, the tooth grows in at an angle. This can cause the tooth to grow into other teeth, causing damage, pain and infection. These teeth can’t usually be fixed by braces, so they are typically removed to prevent future problems.

3. Crowded Teeth

Braces are usually the first choice to correct crowded teeth. Unfortunately, braces alone aren’t always enough. If you have a small mouth and don’t have enough room in your mouth for all your teeth, braces won’t give you a beautiful smile. Your bite may be off or your teeth may just not look perfect. In this case, your dentist may suggest removing some teeth to allow room for the existing teeth. Your dentist will only remove necessary teeth that will give you a beautiful smile.

4. Supernumerary Teeth

Believe it or not, you can get extra teeth. Known as supernumerary teeth, they can grow in any spot, but they are common in wisdom teeth. For example, you get all four of your wisdom teeth removed, but suddenly, a few extra teeth start growing in their place. In some cases, the supernumerary teeth are fully grown teeth, but they may also be partial teeth. If the supernumerary teeth grow too close to healthy teeth, they can cause overcrowding and difficultly during cleaning.

5. Non-Erupted Teeth

Teeth are supposed to break through your gums and become fully functioning tools for eating and speaking. However, some teeth don’t completely break through the gums. Again, this is common in the wisdom teeth because there isn’t much room in your mouth. Teeth that aren’t fully erupted may not seem like a serious problem, especially if they are just your wisdom teeth, but they can cause pain and infection. Nothing can cause these teeth to fully erupt, so it is best to have them removed.

Sometimes, you need a tooth extraction, but luckily, there are many ways to replace missing teeth, such as dental bridges and dental implants, so you don’t have to suffer with an imperfect smile. For more information, contact Landmark Dental Group in Santa Cruz today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

Oral Health and Your Overall Health

Oral Health and Your Overall Health

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock | Antonioguillem

It’s so easy to ignore your oral health, especially if you aren’t having too much pain. However, your body is one connected system, so if something is wrong in your mouth, it could affect other parts of your body. Similarly, health problems that have nothing to do with your teeth or gums could affect your oral health. To protect every part of your body, you must know more about the connection between your mouth and health.

Oral Health and Overall Health Connection

Typically, when you see a doctor about a problem, the doctor treats that area only. For example, if you have a broken arm, your doctor isn’t going to send you to an ear doctor. Therefore, you may find it odd for your doctor to send you to a dentist or vice versa. People tend to think of the systems in their body, such as gastrointestinal, skeletal, nervous, etc., as separate. However, the body is one working machine with many different parts and functions. This is why a problem in your mouth has the potential to affect another area of your body. A holistic view of the body is what allows doctors to treat patients as a whole.

How Poor Oral Health Affects Your Entire Body

When you don’t take proper care of your teeth, plaque, tartar and bacteria accumulate. Of course, this increases your risk of oral problems, such as decay, infection and gum disease. However, there are other examples of oral health problems affecting other parts of the body. If bacteria leaves your mouth and reaches your heart, it could cause endocarditis, which is an infection in the inner lining of your heart. Research has also shown a connection between inflammation/infection and cardiovascular disease. And last, severe gum disease has been shown to cause premature births.

Certain Health Conditions Impact Your Oral Health

Some health problems that have nothing to do with your mouth can actually cause problems with your teeth and gums. Diabetes is one of the most common that can affect your mouth. Diabetes makes it harder for your body to fight infection, so you are at higher risk of gum disease if you fail to take proper care of your gums. Another common disease that can affect your mouth is osteoporosis. This disease makes bones weak, including your jawbone, which could cause your teeth to become loose. Also, some of the medication used to fight osteoporosis has a small risk of damaging your jaw bones.

What You Should Do to Protect Yourself

Knowing that your oral health can cause serious health problems and that some health problems can increase your risk of oral disorders may be scary, but it doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do. Whether you have diabetes, osteoporosis, or some other condition — or not — it’s important to take proper care of your teeth with regular flossing, brushing and dental cleanings. Your dentist will work with you to keep your teeth healthy, which will reduce your risk of other diseases. Making sure that you see your dentist regularly is also a great way of catching potential problems early, so they can be treated sooner.

When you fail to keep your mouth clean, you aren’t just impacting your oral health. You are putting yourself at risk for more serious conditions. If you would like more information about dental health, or if you’d like to start getting back on track with your dental care, contact Landmark Dental Group to schedule an appointment today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz

National Brush Day!

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The day after Halloween is dedicated to National Brush Day – a reminder to brush your teeth for 2 minutes, 2 times a day, every day.

Brushing your teeth is the cornerstone of any good oral hygiene routine. It’s recommended to use a soft-bristled brush. The brush head should have a size and shape that will fit your mouth and allow you to reach all areas easily.
The proper brushing technique includes:
• Position the toothbrush bristles at a 45-degree angle to the gums.
• Gently move the brush back and forth in short (tooth-wide) strokes
• Brush the outer, inner and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
• Tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth.
• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria.
Whether you have 1 baby tooth or all 32 adult teeth, try to make a healthy habit of cleaning your teeth for yourself and for you kids.

3 FAQs About Dry Mouth

Dry Mouth

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People who have only suffered from dry mouth or xerostomia once find it annoying. However, if you suffer from chronic dry mouth, it can cause more serious problems, such as severe tooth decay. If you are a victim of xerostomia, check out these three FAQs about dry mouth, so you can know how to fight it.

What Causes Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth occurs when there is reduced saliva in your mouth because your saliva glands are not producing enough fluid. Sometimes, you may experience a random bout of dry mouth if you become extremely nervous or stressed. However, if that is the case, it typically goes away when you are no longer nervous or stressed. Many patients suffer chronic dry mouth that won’t go away.

A common culprit of xerostomia is certain medications. There are over 400 medications that have dry mouth as a side effect. If you take one or more of these, you may experience chronic xerostomia. In women, dry mouth can become a problem as they near menopause. The hormonal changes can reduce salivary flow. Another possible cause is Sjogren’s syndrome. This condition is an autoimmune disease. The patient’s white blood cells attack glands that produce moisture, such as salivary glands. If you have Sjogren’s syndrome, you may also have dry eyes, fatigue and joint pain.

Does it Cause Oral Problems?

If you experience momentary dry mouth from nervousness, it can be annoying. It makes it hard to talk and swallow. When it’s over, there are no lasting effects. However, if you suffer from chronic xerostomia, it causes more than just mild annoyance as it can cause many oral problems and affect your overall dental health.

The saliva in your mouth plays an important role in keeping your mouth clean. While it isn’t enough alone to remove all the plaque in your mouth, it does help keep plaque and bacteria in check. So even if you brush and floss regularly, xerostomia may allow bacteria to grow and attack your teeth between brushing, increasing your chance of decay. Other symptoms of xerostomia include a burning feeling, a dry tongue, gum irritation, mouth sores and bad breath.

How Can it Be Treated?

The problem with medication-induced xerostomia is that you can’t really stop taking your medication. Talk with your doctor to see if there is another medication you can take that doesn’t cause dry mouth. Your dentist or doctor may also be able to prescribe a medication that can increase saliva flow. Your dentist may also be able to provide you with recommendations on oral care products that can moisturize your mouth.

There are also some steps you can do to prevent dry mouth. Sipping water and sugarless drinks helps keep your mouth wet, mimicking saliva flow. Sugarless gum and sugarless hard candies can also help to increase saliva flow. Just make sure you avoid coffee, tea, sugary/acidic foods and beverages and tobacco.

Xerostomia isn’t just annoying. It’s a serious oral problem that needs to be addressed, so it doesn’t cause tooth decay. If you would like to know more about dry mouth, or if you suffer from dry mouth and need help, contact Landmark Dental Group today.

Landmark Dental Group Contact | Santa Cruz