Oral Health: Dry Mouth Relief, Tongue Care & Teeth Habits

What causes extreme dry mouth or a white coated tongue in kids? From managing jaw pain due to bruxism to understanding the dental impact of acidic diets, maintaining basic oral health involves proper tongue care and cleaning habits.

Runner drinking water

What Causes Dry Mouth During Running & What Can Be Done?

The pasty, parched feeling of a dry mouth is annoying, particularly when you are running and need every drop of moisture you can get to keep from feeling overheated. A dry mouth, which is also called xerostomia, is usually a sign of other problems or a side effect of medications.

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Father and Daughter Brushing Teeth Together

Does Brushing Your Teeth Make Them Whiter?

Many people are continually on the lookout for simple ways to look more attractive. One popular technique is tooth whitening. Good dental hygiene dictates frequent brushing, which can help make your teeth whiter.

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close-up of a woman sticking her tongue out

How to Remove Bumps on Tongue

A layer of small bumps known as papillae cover the surface of the tongue. According to the National Institutes of Health's MedlinePlus service, the papillae provide a home for the taste buds, which reside between papillae.

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Cracked Tongue Advice

Your tongue is one of the toughest muscles in your body, but sometimes fissures break out on it. This is known as cracked tongue, scrotal tongue or grooved tongue. There is not a single established cause of cracked tongue, but there are many potential sources.

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Front view of a woman tongue

Black Tongue Symptoms

Black tongue is a condition that usually starts at the back of the tongue before progressing toward the front. It is characterized by a dark discoloration of the small thread-like elevations on the top surface of the tongue.

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Hispanic man drinking water bottle

Dry Mouth and Vitamin Deficiency

Dry mouth, medically known as xerostomia, is a subjective lack of saliva in the mouth or dryness of the mucosal membranes. The predominant cause of dry mouth is related to reduced saliva gland output, which is affected by diseases, trauma, medications and medical treatments.

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Are There Side Effects of Tongue Brushes?

Brushing the tongue when brushing your teeth has been touted as a cure for bad breath caused by bacteria that form on your tongue. This cleaning of the tongue is supposed to both improve bad breath and lessen the risk of infection in periodontal openings while reducing bacterial population.

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male doctor examining a young woman's throat with a tongue depressor

What Causes a Dry Mouth so Dry That You Cannot Talk?

Having an exceptionally dry mouth can be more than an annoyance: It can be uncomfortable and severe enough that even talking becomes difficult. Also called xerostomia, dry mouth occurs when saliva decreases substantially. The causes of dry mouth syndrome may be temporary or related to some underlying cause or disease.

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How to Reset a Sonicare

A Sonicare is an electric toothbrush sold by the Philips company. A Sonicare uses a vibrating head that cleans teeth and gums. All models of the Sonicare come with the Easystart feature, where the power of the toothbrush increases gradually over your first 14 uses.

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Foods that Help Heal the Gums

Sore and bleeding gums may be an early indication of periodontal disease and should be taken care of right away. A visit to your dentist is the first step. Adding certain foods to your diet also can help speed the healing process and improve the health of your gums.

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Why Do My Teeth & Gums Hurt?

Taking care of your mouth is very important for maintaining good overall health. Neglecting your teeth and gums can make them susceptible to problems such as cavities, gum disease, bacterial infections, impacted wisdom teeth and temporomandibular dysfunction, which is known by the acronym TMJ.

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Boy Sticking Tongue Out at Mirror

Flesh Colored Bumps on the Tongue

Flesh colored bumps on your tongue can be painful or painless depending on the cause. Some causes of whitish-flesh colored bumps are canker sores, candidiasis and early stages of syphilis. If you’re unsure what’s causing the tongue bump, contact your family doctor for an examination of the affected area.

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Dry, Cracked Corners of the Mouth

Cracks at the corners of your mouth, a chronic inflammatory condition medically known as angular cheilitis or perleche, can be painful, unsightly and embarrassing. Although these cracks may look and feel dry, dry skin is not the cause of cheilitis, and applying moisturizer may make matters worse.

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close-up of bearded man sticking out his tongue

Large, White Bumps on the Tongue

Rarely are tongue problems an indication of a serious condition. Even large, white bumps on the tongue shouldn't cause alarm. You're constantly exposing the tongue to substances that may lead to irritation, inflammation and even infection.

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closeup on happy young woman brushing teeth

Causes of Black Tongue

Black tongue is a condition in which the tongue has a black appearance. The tongue could also have a brown or yellow discoloration. It is a condition that is not dangerous and usually goes away without medical attention.

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Woman brushing her teeth, close-up

How to Get Rid of the White Stuff on Teeth

Nothing is more engaging than a pretty smile and white teeth. If you’re concerned about unusual white areas on your teeth, however, see your dentist to determine the cause, so that together you can find a solution.

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Coffee cup

Can Drinking Coffee Cause Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth is not a common symptom of drinking coffee. Dry mouth may be a sign of dehydration, which can be a side effect of drinking too much caffeine. If you develop dry mouth from drinking coffee, you need to call your doctor to determine the cause of your symptoms.

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How to Stop a Bleeding Tongue

The tongue is a frequently cut and injured organ because of the risk of the teeth inadvertently biting it. Tongue cuts typically bleed a lot because there are a lot of blood vessels in the tongue. This is because the tongue is mostly muscle and requires a lot of blood flow.

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Close up of Hispanic woman?s mouth

Sudden Dry Mouth

Dry mouth is a condition characterized by a lack of saliva or presence of thick saliva that prevents your mouth from staying moist. It can cause difficulties with chewing, talking and swallowing, increase thirst and increase the risk of developing cavities or mouth sores, according to MedlinePlus.

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