Xerostomia means dry mouth and is due to too little saliva to keep the mouth moist. Saliva is produced from glands in your mouth and helps not only keep your mouth and throat from becoming too dry but also helps with keeping the mouth clean by helping move small bits of food out from the crevices in your mouth and providing some protection against microbes (viruses, bacteria, and fungal infections). A dry mouth is a symptom in itself and can have multiple causes ranging from being dehydrated to a side effect of medication or treatments like radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, can cause it, or even if you breathe through your mouth most of the time rather than through your nose. A dry mouth can go hand-in-hand with a sore throat, bad breath, a hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, mouth infections such as thrush, and problems with gums or teeth (this is due to bacteria or plaque building up more when there is less anti-microbial saliva).
A tooth infection, otherwise known as a dental abscess, describes a collection of pus in one area. It's usually around a tooth, but may affect the gum or jaw bone. It's caused by a bacterial infection. You're likely to get persistent throbbing in your tooth or gum, with pain spreading to the ear on that side. You might get redness and swelling of the face, and red gums if you look inside your mouth. It may be painful to chew food, difficult to take hot or cold drinks, and you (or others) might notice bad breath, toothache or swelling. In severe infections, the infection can spread to other parts of the body, making you feel generally unwell and feverish. Dental abscesses usually require antibiotic treatment. It is also best to take simple painkillers, avoid hot or cold foods and drinks as your mouth may be quite sensitive, try softer foods and lots of fluids to prevent dehydration. It is important to visit your dentist regularly to ensure you are maintaining good oral hygiene and follow their advice to maintain healthy teeth and gums at home.
Having a tooth removed can be an anxiety\-inducing experience. Here, Healthwords walks you through the best ways to recover from the process and why so many people need to have their wisdom teeth removed. Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to grow through your gums and are located at the back of your molars. There are four wisdom teeth (one in each corner of the mouth), and they usually begin erupting between the ages of 17 and 21. Many people do not have room in their mouth for these extra teeth, so when they begin to come out, they can often push against your other teeth, come out at the wrong angle, or even not at all. When the tooth has failed to erupt due to growth in the wrong direction, it is referred to as" impaction" and usually requires the tooth to be removed to prevent decay. However, they are also removed if they are causing pain, inflammation, or infection. This usually happens due to food being trapped in pockets created around the tooth as it erupts, or the tooth is simply pushing against the other teeth. Wisdom teeth are the most commonly removed type of tooth in adults and can have a longer recovery period than others due to their size and location.
Halitosis, known to most as bad breath, is when an unpleasant or foul odor comes from your mouth. It's very common and can affect anyone, from children to adults. In many cases, it does not last long, and there is no serious underlying cause. However, chronic (long-term) halitosis can cause a negative impact on the mental health and social well-being of people who suffer from it. Fortunately, there are some simple steps to help with bad breath, so let's talk you through them.
A dental abscess describes a collection of pus either around a tooth, on the gum or on the jaw bone, and is caused by a bacterial infection. You’re likely to get persistent throbbing in your tooth or gum, with pain spreading to the ear on that side. You might get redness and swelling of the face, and red gums if you look inside your mouth. It may be painful to chew food, difficult to take hot or cold drinks, and you (or others) might notice bad breath. In severe infections, the infection can spread to other parts of the body, making you feel generally unwell and feverish. Dental abscesses usually require antibiotic treatment. It is also best to take simple painkillers, avoid hot or cold foods and drinks as your mouth may be quite sensitive, try softer foods, and drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration. It is important to visit your dentist regularly to ensure you maintain good oral hygiene and follow their advice to maintain healthy teeth and gums at home.
Chapped lips, also known as cheilitis simplex, are very common and occur when the skin on your lips becomes too dry. This happens because your lips have fewer layers of skin than other parts of your body, so they dry out more rapidly when exposed to different conditions, such as hot or cold environments or being dehydrated. It results in dry-looking lips that can become flaky, cracked, and can bleed. Chapped lips are not contagious. However, if you have flaking lips due to a cold sore, this can be contagious.
A mouth ulcer occurs when a part of the lining of the inside of your mouth becomes damaged. The area that hurts is known as a mouth ulcer. They are very common and can be caused by many different things. Most are not caused by anything serious and will improve on their own within 2 weeks. They look like red and white lesions on the inside of your cheeks, usually 1/2 inch in size or less. You can sometimes get larger mouth ulcers, and they can appear at the bottom of the gums, under or on the tongue. There are some over-the-counter treatments available from your pharmacist, but if you are looking for some things to try at home – Healthwords’s pharmacists have you covered.