Understanding Saliva And Its Relation To Your Teeth
ShareSpit, also known as saliva, is quite important for the overall health of your teeth and mouth. So, what is saliva and why is it important to your teeth?
What is saliva?
Each time you eat, your salivary glands will release saliva into your mouth. This aids the process of digesting your food. Saliva is made up of 99.5% water, but the other 0.5% is made up of very important substances. One of the substances in this remaining percentage is a disease-fighting substance that ensures your teeth are protected against infections and cavities.
Because saliva is made almost exclusively out of water, it can wash away any food pieces or debris which remains in between your teeth or on your gums. Saliva also keeps your teeth strong by providing your teeth with a high dose of phosphate ions, calcium, and fluoride on the surface of your teeth.
Why is it important to brush before bed?
Almost everyone knows that they should brush their teeth two times per day. What many people do not realize is that there are specific times during the day that they should brush. One of the most important times of the day to brush your teeth is right before you go to bed.
When you are sleeping, your body reduces the amount of saliva it produces. So if you fail to brush your teeth before going to bed, all of the bacteria and the remaining residue from the meals you ate since you last brushed your teeth will remain stuck to your teeth and gums all night, where it will break down and produce acid and plaque, which sticks to your teeth and breaks away the enamel on your teeth.
The enamel on your teeth is a protective shield which helps your teeth, but if there is a great deal of acid in your mouth it will wear away your enamel and leave a hole, inside of which cavities are formed.
When you brush your teeth and floss them, you can remove the food debris, the sugar, and the plaque that remains on your teeth. This can keep your teeth and gums free from bacteria and reduce any risk of cavities.
Dry Mouth
Dry mouth is also referred to as xerostomia and it is not so much a disease as it is a symptom of having inadequate production of saliva in your mouth. If you have trouble speaking, hoarseness, a hard time swallowing, burning sensations in your throat, etc., you may have dry mouth. Make sure you speak with a dentist at an office like Gentle Dental Family Care about ways to fix this.