Medication and cavities? Please read.?

I went to the dentist today for my 6 month cleaning and was amazed to find that I had 5 cavities! The dentist told me that it was probably due to a side effect of my medication which is dry mouth. Has anyone else noticed this link? If so, what medication triggered an outbreak of cavities for you?

dry mouth is a common side effect of many meds (such as diuretics) and chemotherapy treatments for cancer.
while the med is serving a helpful purpose, the side effect of dry mouth (xerostomia) depletes the mouth of the natural cleansing and strengthening effect of your saliva, therefore leaving your mouth prone to more cavities and periodontal bone loss.
getting fluoride treatment (to strengthen your teeth) from your dentist or using a daily fluoride rinse, such as ACT, is highly recommended.
there are also mouthrinses and saliva replacements available from the drugstore, such as Oasys or Biotene to help with the dry mouth.

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