Doctors, dentists warn of 'mask mouth'

Doctors and dentists say they’re seeing a new wave of dental issues from prolonged mask wearing due to COVID-19.

TOOTH DECAY AND GUMINFLAMMATION.((SOT)) DR.DALIAH WACHS "IT'S JUST NOTSOMETHING WE WERE EXPECTING TOSEE WITH A LOT OF MASK WEAR"DOCTOR DALIAH WACHS -DISCUSSING THE LATEST ISSUE INTHE ORAL HYGIENE WORLD - THATAPPEARS TO BE CAUSED BYCONSTANT MASK WEAR.DALIAH WACHS "AS WE'RE WEARINGTHE MASK, RATHER THAN BREATHINGTHROUGH OUR NOSE, WE'REBREATHING THROUGH OUR MOUTH"AND THAT LEADS TO A LOSS OFHUMIDITY - WHICH CAUSES DRYMOUTH - AND LESS SALIVA.DALIAH WACHS "WE NEED SALIVA TOHELP RINSE OFF YOUR TEETH ANDKEEP EVERYTHING COPASETIC" THETERM - IS A PLAY OFF "METHMOUTH" WHICH IS A COMMON TERMREFERRED TO PATIENTS WHO HAVEDOCTORS ENCOURAGE CONTINUEDMASK USE - BUT SAY THE KEY TOAVOID THAT BACTERIA BUILD UP -IS TO CONSISTENTLY HYDRATE.DALIAH WACHS "JUST BECAUSEWE'RE WEARING A MASK DOESN'TMEAN AND WE'RE NOT CHEWING GUMAND NOT WORRIED ABOUT PEOPLECAN SMELL BAD BREATH DOESN'TMEAN WERE NOT HAVING BADBREATH, SO YOU STILL HAVE TOCONCENTRATE ON ORAL HYGIENE"