Poor Salivary Flow Can Make Dental Bridges Uncomfortable
Posted on: 16 October 2019
Poor salivary flow can be caused by certain medications such as diuretics, antidepressants, pain medications, and some cardiovascular medications. Certain autoimmune disorders can also impair salivary flow, leading to dry mouth and difficulty chewing your food. When your body fails to produce enough saliva, you may encounter problems with your dental bridge. Here are some ways inadequate saliva production can make your bridge uncomfortable and what you can do abouth them.
Gum Inflammation
Dry mouth is linked to gingivitis and bacterial infections of the oral cavity. When your gums are inflamed and painful, you may be unable to wear your bridge. Wearing your dental appliance when your gums are swollen may lead to soft tissue damage while raising your risk for infection.
If you suffer from dry mouth see your physician who will review your medications to determine if they are contributing to dry mouth. If your gums are chronically inflamed as a result of dry mouth or other conditions, the dental bridge services lab may need to make you another bridge or adjust your existing bridge so that it feels more comfortable in your mouth.
Gum Abscess
If your salivary glands are unable to produce enough saliva, you may be at risk for a gum abscess. Saliva washes away the bacteria in your mouth that is responsible for oral infections. When bacteria builds up inside your mouth, an abscess can develop between your dental bridge and your gum tissue.
You will be unable to wear your bridge until your abscess heals, and if it is not diagnosed and treated promptly the infection may spread to other areas of your body. Symptoms of a gum abscess include pain when chewing, a bad taste in your mouth as a result of pus pockets in your gums, fever, and jaw pain.
Your dentist will need to drain the abscess and clean out the pus pockets in your gums. Your dentist will also prescribe antibiotics to eliminate the infection. Once the abscess has been drained, cleaned, and treated with the appropriate antibiotic, you can start wearing your bridge again. It is important to note, that a severe gum abscess may change the size and shape of the underlying gum tissue, and if this happens, you may need a new bridge.
If you have problems with dry mouth or if you develop an abscess on your gums, make an appointment with your dentist. When oral problems are addressed early on, you will be less likely to have problems with your oral appliances. Contact a local dentist, such as Henderson Family Dentistry, for more information.
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