The key to successfully fighting these oral problems caused by autoimmune disorders is to work closely with both your immunologist or medical doctor and your dentist. Your medical doctor will help you control the disorder itself through medication or other treatments. Your dentist will help you counteract the effects of the disease on your oral health.
You can improve your fight against the effects of autoimmune disorders by committing to three important actions.
Many people make the mistake of putting off a dental visit until they are in pain. When you have an autoimmune disease, this is a terrible idea. In fact, it is a terrible idea for anyone. With an autoimmune disease increasing your risks for dental problems, you must see your dentist and dental hygienists regularly for evaluations and maintenance. At these visits, the dentist will assess your current situation and offer preventive treatment options to stop problems before they start. The dentist can also prescribe medications to help you manage some of the painful manifestations of the autoimmune disease like ulcers or sores.
Because these diseases can increase the risk for dental problems like cavities and gum disease, you must commit to having great oral hygiene at home. Many of these disorders lead to an increase in plaque buildup or a change in the consistency of dental plaque, making it more difficult to remove. You simply cannot slack off in your consistency of good brushing and flossing. You must remove plaque every single day to fight this increased risk for dental problems.
Since many of these autoimmune disorders make the mouth dry, another important step to take is to fight dry mouth. First, ask your dentist how you should work against dry mouth. The most important aspects of fighting dry mouth are hydration, stimulation of natural saliva production, and addition of salivary replacements. You must drink plenty of water so that your body can produce saliva. You can stimulate saliva by chewing sugar-free gum between meals or using products like Xylimelts at night. And you can replace saliva by using lubricating gels and sprays to coat the inside of a dry mouth.
Learn how autoimmune diseases can affect your oral health. If you are dealing with an AI condition, schedule an appointment with the nearest Premier Dental of Ohio location today to review your concerns with one of our dentists. We can discuss your unique situation, with its inherent risks and problems and create a personalized treatment plan to help fight the affects of autoimmune diseases.
