Oral7 Dry Mouth Toothpaste 105g^{^} (always read the label)

The importance of saliva in oral health

Our mouth is the gateway to our bodies. Our saliva acts as the first barrier of defence against viruses, bacteria and infections and serves important functions such as transporting food, strengthening immunity and repairing and nourishing teeth.

Many of today's oral care products contain detergent, chemicals or alcohol that upsets the oral flora or dries out the mouth with constant use. This can in time affect our salivary glands' ability to produce saliva, potentially leading to dry mouth and other oral issues. Oral7's formulation utilises salivary enzymes naturally found in our own healthy saliva to boost your mouth's defence system in the safest way.

The mouth – a complex bio-system

The mouth is protected by a delicately balanced bio-system of enzymes and lubricants in the saliva, allowing ‘good bacteria’ to flourish and inhibiting the growth of ‘bad bacteria’. Dry mouth occurs when you do not produce enough saliva to keep your mouth wet.

Many activities or situations can cause the mouth to produce less saliva, upsetting the delicate balance of the mouth’s flora:

• Drinking alcohol
• Smoking
• Stress
• Prolonged air travel
• Sleeping (especially mouth breathers)
• Strenuous physical activity

In addition, many widely used, and often prescribed medications (1) can cause the mouth to cry out for moisture, e.g.:

• Antihistamines, Anti-inflammatories, Antihypertensives
• Antidepressants, Anticholinergics, Antiparkinsonians
• Diuretics, Bronchodilators, Antipsychotics

^{(1) Over 1,800 prescription and non-prescription drugs (Sreebny, L. M., D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., “A useful source for the Drug – Dry Mouth Relationship”, Journal of Dental Education, Vol. 68, Nr. 1)}