Mask Mouth: THE NEW PROBLEM WE ARE FACING

Wearing masks for prolonged periods can have adverse impact on oral health. Dry mouth, bad breath, bleeding gums, skin rashes or allergies around the mouth and lips are some of them

MASKS PROMPT US

TO TAKE RAPID, SHALLOW BREATH USING OUR MOUTH RATHER THAN DEEP INHALATION AND

EXHALATION THROUGH THE NOSE. BREATHING FROM

THE MOUTH DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF SALIVA,

WHICH AFFECTS ORAL HEALTH. ALSO, WITH THE MASK ON,

PEOPLE TEND TO DRINK LESS WATER, WHICH LEADS TO DEHYDRATION, CAUSING DRY

MOUTH.

Till the beginning of 2020, face masks were primarily associated with medical-health professionals, forensic and chemical lab staff or those dealing with hazardous materials.

Nobody then imagined that face masks would become a part and parcel of everyday life for common man as well.

Then again, nobody imagined a pandemic like COVID-19 would strike the world and stay on for as long.

Now face masks have became a part of our lifestyle, even attaining the coveted spot of an accessory, some with designer tags on them — to safeguard humans against coronavirus.

Now we’ve learnt that even wearing masks for prolonged periods can have adverse impact on health — especially on oral health. One such issue is ‘mask mouth’, a condition perpetuated from the wearing of masks for long hours daily for several weeks and months. According to dentists and oral health experts, mask mouths lead to dry mouth, bad breath, bleeding gums, skin rashes or allergies around the mouth and lips, and other oral and

dental issues. Added to it, using the same uncleaned mask for

days, drinking less water and not maintaining oral hygiene after food intake further aggravate the problem.

Dental surgeon Dr Neetika Modi, who is also a holistic wellness consultant and director at Studio Aesthetique, points out that the breathing pattern of the population, for whom masks have been a new concept, has certainly changed since wearing masks from the start of the pandemic. However, the doctor also points out that the condition, as damaging as it could be, can also be reversed with timely action and healthy

habits.