Allergies, Dry Mouth and Braces

When having braces put on your teeth, your mouth must be completely dry. Your orthodontist will place cotton swabs inside your mouth to absorb excess saliva and will continually use a small machine to blow dry air into your mouth. This dryness is critical to ensure that the brackets of your braces fully adhere to your teeth. However, once your braces are placed on your teeth, the need for a dry mouth is over.

Many people suffer from nasal congestion, postnasal drip, a sore throat, sneezing, and itchy eyes during allergy season. As beautiful as springtime is, it can cause many people to dread stepping outside. Another symptom of allergies that is often misunderstood is dry mouth. With nasal congestion stopping up the nose, many people are forced to breathe through their mouths. Mouth breathing is more than just a bad habit — it can also lead to severe oral health complications.

Saliva is one of the most important components of your oral health. While that may surprise you, your mouth depends on adequate saliva production to stay healthy. Saliva keeps the mouth moist and comfortable, and it also helps to wash away oral bacteria from inside the mouth. A dry mouth, on the other hand, will have an overabundance of oral bacteria. When the mouth is dry, bacteria will easily adhere to the teeth and form into dental plaque and tartar. If not removed, these bacteria-laden substances can cause tooth decay, gum disease, and mouth infections.

One of the hardest things to deal with while wearing braces is keeping your mouth as clean as possible. It is hard enough to brush and floss when your mouth is healthy, so just think about how difficult it will be if you let dry mouth make matters worse.

Symptoms of dry mouth include:

• Frequent thirst
• A dry, sticky feeling
• A dry throat
• A sore throat
• A sticky, raw tongue
• Hoarseness
• Cracked lips

If you feel that allergies are causing your mouth to become dried out, contact Broad Street Braces today. We want to help you take steps to protect your smile.