Do you wake up in the morning with your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth? Do you feel the urge to drink lots of water? Perhaps you could be suffering from dry mouth known as the condition xerostomia.

Dry mouth affects about 10% of all people and is more prevalent in women than men. Disorders of saliva production affect elderly people and those who are taking prescription and nonprescription medications most frequently.

Why do you need saliva?

Your mouth needs saliva to be able to work properly. Saliva keeps your mouth moist, it helps to break down your food and helps you to swallow. It also acts as a cleanser, constantly washing around your mouth and teeth, fighting decay and helping to keep your teeth clean.

What are the symptoms of dry mouth?

Dry mouth like your mouth is full of cotton wool.

Thick and sticky saliva making it difficult to speak or swallow.

Sometimes people experience a prickly or burning sensation.

Sensitivity to certain rich, spicy or acidic foods.

Soreness of the mouth or it may look red and shiny

What causes dry mouth?

Dry mouth can be a symptom of many different problems. Most commonly it’s associated with medication, particularly heart, blood pressure and depression tablets. Sometimes it’s a direct result of a medical condition such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, alcoholic cirrhosis, lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome or blocked salivary glands.

What problems can it cause?

Saliva helps to cancel out the acid that can attack your teeth and is a very important part of your dental health. Having less saliva can increase your risk of oral health problems. Saliva helps to break down food while you are chewing, allowing you to swallow more easily. Having less saliva can also affect the taste of food and makes it harder to eat drier foods. Sometimes it can affect your speech and it makes people more likely to have bad breath.

How can you ease the symptoms?

Frequently sipping on room temperature water.

Avoid fizzy and sugary drinks.

Only drink caffeinated drinks occasionally, as caffeine can help to dry the mouth out more.

Chew on sugar free gum to stimulate saliva flow.

Don’t smoke or drink alcohol.

If you’re concerned about dry mouth please contact us- 0116 2891317

Porcelain crowns are a very successful option for repairing cracked, broken, decayed or heavily filled teeth. Smile Essential dentist in Leicester offer a range of crowns including metal free crowns.

A crown completely covers the damaged tooth above the gum line and so protects it. The colour is matched to that of your own teeth and, as crowns are very strong, they can look and feel exactly like natural teeth.

A crown is an artificial restoration that fits over the remaining part of a prepared tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape of a natural tooth. 

Sometimes known as a ‘cap’. Crowns are an ideal restoration for teeth that have been broken, or have been weakened by decay or a very large filling. Your dentist can best decide on whether a crown would be suitable for you.

A crown could be used for a number of other reasons, for instance:

• you may have discoloured fillings and would like to improve the appearance of the tooth
• you may have had a root filling which will need a crown to protect it
• it may help hold a bridge or denture firmly in place.

For further help, advice or information get in touch

The question normally asked by new parents is when should I bring my child to the dentist or when should I start brushing my child’s teeth?

Even before teething starts there are methods you should adopt to condition their little mouths such as cleaning after bottle feeds etc. There are some great products that can be used before their teeth are through such as oral wipes which clean the gums.

Shrikesh Kotecha of Smile Essential in Leicester recommends that as soon as the teeth start to come through introduce a soft baby brush on a morning and evening with just a small amount of child friendly toothpaste.

Ideally you should start taking your child to the dentist age one – take them with you when you go for your visit and it won’t cost a thing!  This is how dentist Shrikesh Kotecha has a head start on preventing problems before they happen which is better for your child than corrective action.

There are two points to look out for in your children’s first couple of teeth, not just their flashing grins!

Yellowing – Can suggest a build-up of plaque – get those baby brushes out and have your dentist take a look!

Chalky White/Patchy White – This could mean a lack of or poor enamel which means potential weakness… Again ask your dentist at Smile Essential to have a closer look.