As much as we welcome the warmer weather of summer this time of year, there are unique risks this season can pose for your dental health.

It’s because you can become dehydrated, which slows your saliva production and causes dry mouth.

Don’t let that happen!

Trust your Winnipeg dentist to help you fight dry mouth so your teeth, gums, and smile don’t pay a price for the summer heat!

Dry Mouth Is Problematic For Your Smile!

Our team at Lakewood Dental Centre wants to help your mouth stay healthy all year long, which is why we need to talk about the importance of saliva to your teeth and gums. Here are some of the reasons dehydration and dry mouth can create a big problem for your smile:

*It Weakens Tooth Enamel*

As strong as your tooth enamel is, it weakens in the face of harmful acids inside your mouth.

When bacteria feeds on the debris left behind after you eat and drink, it creates acids that wear and weaken your tooth enamel, leaving all your teeth vulnerable to decay and cavities.

It’s the saliva in your mouth that helps you fight the effects of that process, not just because it washes away food particles that bacteria need for fuel, but because saliva coats your teeth and gives them added protection.

*It Can Hurt Your Gums, Too*

Just as it can hurt your teeth, bacteria can cause problems with your gums, too.

No matter where bad bacteria inside your mouth finds and eats food particles, the acids that are generated as a result will damage everything in their path, including gum tissue.

As your gums recede, your teeth lose crucial support, which is why gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss.

That’s another reason the job of your saliva is so important to your smile overall! You need that extra help in washing away food particles and debris so bacteria won’t have that fuel source.

*It Can Allow Stains To Set In*

Your emotional health is important, too, and if you’re stressed or embarrassed about the way your smile looks, it can have a big impact on your well-being overall.

Dry mouth can make things worse for your smile’s appearance because you don’t have enough saliva to wash away the dark pigments in your food and drinks or to coat your teeth so those colors have a harder time sticking to your enamel.

To keep your teeth from turning dark and dingy, you need plenty of saliva in your mouth to prevent deep stains from setting in.

Schedule An Appointment Today!

You may still have the heat of the sun to contend with, but you don’t have to let your teeth and gums pay the price! Our Winnipeg dentists can offer solutions for dry mouth so your smile stays bright and healthy all summer long.

Call Lakewood Dental Centre today at 204-977-8515 or fill out our online form to request an appointment.