Guard your mouth during Ramadan

Fasting during Ramadan can take a toll on your body, especially your mouth. As those fasting do not consume food and water for hours and hours, saliva production in the mouth remains suspended.

This can lead to halitosis, more commonly known as bad breath, which is caused by a build-up of gas-emitting bacteria on the tongue and below the gum line. It’s not pleasant for you, or for those around you!

Fasting can also contribute to dry mouth — a condition where your mouth does not produce adequate saliva and that could lead to or exacerbate symptoms of tooth decay and gum disease.

However, there are some easy steps one can take to improve the pH balance in your mouth and keep it clean and healthy even while fasting. Continue to brush and floss twice daily – in this case, after Iftar and suhoor. It is also important to drink plenty of water by having one glass every one to two hours until suhoor to stay hydrated throughout the next day – which also helps your mouth feel less dry while fasting.

Dr Nasser Al Malik, director of Virginia Dental Clinic in Dubai and chairman of the UAE International Dental Conference and Arab Dental Exhibition (AEEDC), advises his patients to chew sugar-free gum to keep the mouth clean after consuming food and drinks during the holy month.

“Chewing sugar-free gum is a really easy and convenient way to keep your mouth clean after Iftar and suhoor. This is especially true when you may not have a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss handy when visiting relatives or spending the evening out and away from home,” he said.

“Chewing sugar-free gum helps your mouth produce the saliva it needs to wash away bacteria and food particles that linger even after brushing and flossing. But, it does not cause cavities like gums with sugar can contribute to, which of course is another benefit,” he added. He also advises patients to use mouthwash during fasting at least once and to use ‘miswak’ that can help clean the mouth and increase saliva flow. In addition, he advises patients to visit their dentist regularly throughout the year, and at least twice if they suffer from dental problems.

These tips are important for the whole family, especially older children and adolescents who are still developing good oral care habits. Ramadan is a good time to reinforce these life-long habits since oral care is so important when fasting. Dr Al Malik assures that sugar-free gum is safe for children and adolescents’ teeth, and that it is a healthy way for them to enjoy gum without compromising their oral health.

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• UAE