Dry Mouth Research Paper

Several medications can cause a disease called Xerostomia which is dry mouth leads to dental caries. Many medications can decrease saliva resulting in dry mouth. According to an article, “Oral Side Effects of Common Prescription Medications,” published on medactive.com states, “the saliva in our mouth protects the teeth from decay with its antimicrobial components that help rebuild tooth enamel. Without enough of it, the teeth begin to deteriorate and break down”. This is because saliva in our mouth helps to maintain a balanced and healthy environment for beneficial bacteria to grow. Also, the saliva removes food particles and it washes the harmful bacteria which aids the plaque to build up. Dry mouth can lead to a disease called Thrush. Which …show more content…
Low pH Causes demineralization of tooth enamel, increasing risk for caries. According to Susan Higham the author of “Caries Process and Prevention Strategies: Demineralization/Remineralization”, A pH of 5.5 or above is required for the remineralization process otherwise the teeth begin to dissolve or demineralize at a pH in the mouth below 5.5 The more acidic the mouth the more harmful bacteria grows resulting from the frequent consumption of sugary food or food which are high in acid content.
Diseases might cause tooth decay. According to Connecticuts.gov website Oral health diseases are associated with diabetes because of poorly controlled blood sugar. The less well controlled the blood sugar, the more likely oral health problems will arise. This is because of uncontrolled diabetes impairs white blood cells, which are the body's main defense against bacterial infections that can occur in the mouth. Also, Diabetic patients who take certain medication can cause xerostomia which causes tooth …show more content…
So what kind of bacteria’s are responsible for tooth decay? Well, According to Sigmund Socransky, who is a clinical professor of periodontology at Harvard, there are 600-plus types of bacteria living in our mouth and some of them actively produce toxins to kill the pathogens. Most of the bacteria’s are harmless, some bacteria’s are probiotics and some bacteria aid in the digestion of food. So there are both good and bad bacteria’s in our mouth. Streptococcus mutans is one of the harmful bacteria which is responsible for tooth decay. When the pH of our saliva decreases it makes our mouth acidic this is when acid tolerant bacteria S.Mutans starts to