Saliva plays a major role in our health. A decrease in saliva can cause an increase in caries and other major oral health complications. People don’t always realize they have a decrease saliva function. Testing saliva for the hydration and pH is a simple five second process to check weather the saliva is healthy or sick. The salivary glands are essential for lubrication, defense mechanism for bacteria, remineralize teeth, and is the first stage in digestion process. Medications, systemic diseases, smoking, and coffee drinking are only a few things that can decrease the saliva production.
Going back to high school chemistry class, we learned about negative and positive ions. Those with dry mouth tend to have an increase level of decay because the fluoride losses its chance to do its work. The tooth is negatively charged and so is the fluoride ion, therefore, they repel each other. But the calcium ion in our saliva is positively charged, which attracts the fluoride ion and pulls it into the tooth. Due to medications or other diseases the fluoride stops doing its work and causes decrease in saliva.
Powerful antioxidants in green tea, called polyphenols, is shown to reduce the damage to the salivary gland. Regular dental hygiene appointments should be made (every 3-6months), mouth rinse, brushing at least after every meal, and flossing daily will help maintain good oral hygiene and help with the irritation of dry mouth.
