Oral Health And Asthma

Over 20 million americans have asthma. The medications that are used to treat asthma can lead to increased bad breath, cavities and gum problems. According to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), many dental patients forget to bring their inhalers to their appointments and end up having an asthma attack.

Asthmatic people have a tendency to breathe through their mouths, which, when done while taking prescription medications like corticosteroids, causes a decrease in saliva flow. This condition is sometimes called “dry mouth” and could lead to bad breath and cavities. Saliva cleanses the mouth and when the flow is decreased, asthma patients are at a higher risk for cavities and bad breath. If these patients aren’t diligent about brushing and flossing, the gums could become inflamed and this could lead to gum disease.

A lot of asthma inhalers irritate the back of the roof of the mouth, causing reddish lesions. If this isn’t taken care of, it could become infected. This infection could spread to the throat and rest of the mouth. After using your inhaler, rinse your mouth with water or a fluoride mouthwash.

Gentle Dental’s asthmatic patients should inform their dentist about their history of asthma, what medications they are taking and always bring their inhaler to their visit.

The post Oral Health And Asthma appeared first on Gentle Dental.

Source: http://www.gentledentalgroup.com/2013/08/oral-health-and-asthma/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=oral-health-and-asthma

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