Another dentist and co-founder at One Manhattan Dental, Rob Ramondi, said 50% of his patients are suffering from negative health issues due to mask-wearing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re seeing inflammation in people\u2019s gums that have been healthy forever, and cavities in people who have never had them before,\u201d Ramondi said. \u201cAbout 50% of our patients are being impacted by this, [so] we decided to name it \u2018mask mouth\u2019 \u2014 after \u2018meth mouth.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n “Meth mouth” is a term used to describe poor oral hygiene typically associated with chronic meth users.<\/p>\n The dentists said that the face coverings increase mouth dryness and contribute to a buildup of bad bacteria.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople tend to breathe through their mouth instead of through their nose while wearing a mask,\u201d Sclafani said. \u201cThe mouth breathing is causing the dry mouth, which leads to a decrease in saliva \u2014 and saliva is what fights the bacteria and cleanses your teeth.\u201d<\/p>\n Sclafani suggested those who have no choice but to wear masks can drink more water, cut down on caffeine, snag a humidifier to moisten the air, use an alcohol-free mouthwash, scrape their tongue, and refrain from smoking.<\/p>\n Wearing face coverings to stem the spread of the coronavirus has become a contentious issue across the United States, with some states and cities imposing mandatory face mask requirements,<\/a> while others have filed lawsuits<\/a> to defy those precautions.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/mediadc.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/7733ed4\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/1500x916+0+11\/resize\/1540x940!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmediadc.brightspotcdn.com%2F4c%2F89%2Fc78548948f8e4d10bba0f622f14e%2Fbd94f73d6205e6728a832b726b62b676.jpg\")
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