{"id":13,"date":"2018-08-10T22:02:08","date_gmt":"2018-08-10T22:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gainesvillecompletedentistry.com\/blog\/?p=13"},"modified":"2018-08-10T22:02:08","modified_gmt":"2018-08-10T22:02:08","slug":"dentist-in-gainesville-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gainesvillecompletedentistry.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/10\/dentist-in-gainesville-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Mouth Breathing Cause Cavities? A Dentist in Gainesville Says Yes!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ManIf you breathe through your mouth at night, you\u2019re probably already aware of the most common consequences like dry mouth, snoring, bad breath and irritated gums. What you might not know is that it also increases your risk of tooth decay. Since no one wants to spend more time in the chair with a dentist in Gainesville than necessary, it\u2019s worth it to figure out ways to counteract the effects of mouth breathing so you can keep your teeth as healthy as possible. Learn more below about how mouth breathing is linked to cavities and what you can do about it!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

How Does Mouth Breathing Contribute To Cavities?<\/h2>\n

Tooth decay is caused when acids in the mouth eat away at your enamel, much like acid rain eats away at marble and stone. These acids are naturally produced by the bacteria in your mouth, but your body has a natural defense mechanism: saliva.<\/p>\n

Saliva washes away plaque and also neutralizes the acids in your mouth, both of which prevent cavities. Unfortunately, your mouth becomes very dry when you breathe through your mouth at night, so you lose this protection.<\/p>\n

In fact, researchers found evidence to support this idea in a recent study. They learned that acid levels were much higher in participants who slept with their mouths open, putting them at a significantly higher risk for cavities.<\/p>\n

How Can You Minimize Your Risk of Decay?<\/h2>\n

Since you breathe through your mouth while you\u2019re sleeping, you obviously don\u2019t have a lot of control over it! However, there are still some things you can do to minimize its negative impact:<\/p>\n