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Dentist approved strategies for protecting teeth and gums from “mask mouth”, a dangerous dental condition caused by frequent and extended use of facial coverings.
Dentists have jumped into the fray regarding the contentious issue of mask-wearing to prevent the spread of COVID. And, what they are seeing is pretty nasty.
Rob Raimondi DDS, a co-founder of OneManhattanDental, said half of his patients are suffering from negative dental issues due to mask-wearing.
He calls it “mask mouth”, a play on words for the well-known term “meth mouth” used to describe the poor oral health of chronic meth users. (1)
How Wearing a Mask Harms Dental Health
Dr. Marc Sciafani, also of OneManhatten Dental, describes the problem as stemming from the mouth breathing that typically occurs when people wear a mask.
Mouth breathing causes dry mouth, which leads to a decrease in saliva. It’s the saliva that fights pathogenic bacteria in the mouth and cleanses your teeth in between brushing and flossing sessions at home.
Dr. Raimondi warns that the effects of mask mouth are serious.
We’re seeing inflammation in people’s gums that have been healthy forever, and cavities in people who have never had them before.
This gum inflammation, known as periodontal disease, is no minor matter either. It can eventually lead to strokes and an increased risk of heart attacks, according to his partner Dr. Sciafani.
Gum disease is particularly dangerous for pregnant women. A study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine found that periodontitis can trigger premature labor and low birth weight babies (2)
Tips to Avoid Mask Mouth
While the dental dangers from wearing a mask are very real, the fact is that they are mandatory in many areas of the world. Hence, many people are forced to wear them for hours at a time at their job.
Fortunately, once you are aware of the health effects to your teeth and gums from wearing a mask, you can take some easy steps to mitigate the risks.
Dr. Sclafani suggests these strategies for protecting dental health from the ravages of mask-wearing:
- Drink more water.
- Cut down on caffeine, which is a diuretic (pulls water out of the body and increases the risk of dehydration).
- Use a humidifier to moisten the air.
- If you use mouthwash, make sure it is alcohol-free.
- Brush or scrape your tongue when cleaning your teeth.
- Do not smoke.
Other Important Strategies
Of course, it goes without saying that if you use cloth masks, daily washing in warm water and mild soap is absolutely imperative! And, never EVER share masks. Research has shown that the bacteria that cause cavities are easily transmitted between people.
Regular use of oral probiotic lozenges to boost the cleansing and protective effect of the saliva is a smart strategy to consider as well.
(1) Dentists say ‘mask mouth’ can cause serious health complications, including strokes
(2) Periodontitis: A risk for delivery of premature labor and low-birth-weight infants
I have a very dry mouth, very little saliva. Is there any natural remedy for this?
Chris Rademacher
Sarah, your comment re: mask-wearing and nose-breathing “… asking people to do something they emotionally likely cannot is not helpful.” is unfortunate and pessimistic. It suggests we should enable people to remain stuck with their self-limiting emotions rather than empower them to self-liberate. If someone is emotionally incapable of breathing through the nose, they need to seek out help. It’s so ironic that anti-maskers tend to denounce victim hood, yet this statement is the epitome of just that.
I disagree! Being empathetic with people’s current situation is important and foundational step before they are able to make the baby steps forward to change. Insisting that people “stop mouth breathing” is counterproductive … some people don’t have the facial structure necessary either. I suggest you read Nutrition and Physical Degeneration for more information about how prenatal nutrition affects the bone structure of the face and mouth significantly and how poor facial development encourages chronic mouth breathing.
Some people would actually need deviated septum surgery or at least pallet widening before they would be able to nose breath with a mask on!
why does mask wearing increase mouth-breathing? in dr sclafani’s 6 tips, i would suggest that maintain nose breathing could be #1
I address this in another comment 🙂