What Saliva Can Say About Your Dental Health

Each day your body produces approximately 1.5 litres of saliva, and it’s an important fluid that helps to disinfect your mouth naturally. Saliva prevents tooth decay, helps you to maintain healthy gums and washes away excess food particles. It contains vital substances that fight cavities and other infections. Your saliva also provides vital information about your oral health.

Too Little Saliva

If you’ve noticed you aren’t producing enough saliva, it could be your medication, and it’s important to become even more vigilant about your oral health and to have regular dental checkups.

Clumpy, White Saliva

This could be a sign of a yeast infection called thrush. Although rare in healthy adults, it can affect people with diabetes, and we can prescribe an antifungal medication to clear up this infection.

Acidic Saliva

Ideally, your mouth has a neutral pH, but if your mouth is too acidic, it creates the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive, increasing your risk of cavities. Our dentist can test the acidity of your mouth using a special pH strip, and if needed we can provide advice on how to maintain a more neutral pH.

If you are worried about the condition of your saliva, ask us for help and advice during your next checkup.