We all need saliva to moisten and clean our mouths and digest food. Saliva not only keeps the mouth moist, it also helps people swallow and digest food, and has antibacterial properties that help prevent oral infections and dental disease.
When the human body does not produce enough saliva, dry mouth occurs, also called xerostomia.
What causes dry mouth?
A side effect of some drugs. Dry mouth is a common side effect of many prescription and over-the-counter medications, including those used to treat depression, anxiety, allergies and colds, acne, epilepsy, high blood pressure (diuretics), diarrhea, nausea, urinary incontinence, asthma, and Parkinson’s disease. Dry mouth can also be a side effect of painkillers and sedatives. In addition, interactions between certain medications can increase dry mouth.
Diseases and infections. Dry mouth can be a symptom of a variety of conditions, including Sjögren’s syndrome, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, anemia, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and mumps.
A side effect of certain medical procedures. Damage to the salivary glands can reduce the amount of saliva produced. For example, damage can occur as a result of radiation to the head and neck and chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer.
Nerve damage. Dry mouth can be the result of damage to nerves in the head and neck due to trauma or surgery.
Dehydration. Conditions such as fever, excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, and burns can cause dry mouth.
Lifestyle and habits. Smoking or chewing tobacco can affect the amount of saliva produced and increase dry mouth. Constant mouth breathing can also contribute to this problem.
Aging. Many elderly people have symptoms of dry mouth. This is because older people usually take more medications and have health problems that can cause this symptom.
Menopause. Menopausal women may also experience a bitter taste and dry mouth. This may be due to low estrogen levels in the body.
Temporary dry mouth can occur if a person has a strong desire to drink, or feels anxious or stressed.
What are the symptoms of dry mouth?
Common symptoms include:
- unpleasant feeling of stickiness in the mouth;
- frequent thirst;
- mouth ulcers or skin cracks in the corners of the mouth;
- chapped lips;
- feeling of dryness and pain in the throat;
- burning or tingling in the oral cavity and especially on the tongue;
- dry and red tongue;
- speech problems;
- loss of taste;
- difficulties with chewing and swallowing;
- hoarseness
- dryness of the nasal passages;
- bad breath.
In addition to the symptoms mentioned above, dry mouth also increases the risk of gingivitis (gum disease), caries and oral infections such as thrush. Dry mouth can also make wearing dentures difficult.
How to treat dry mouth?
Treatment for dry mouth depends on what exactly is causing the problem.
First of all, it is necessary to rule out the presence of a serious disease, one of the symptoms of which can be dry mouth.
It is also worth taking care of the prevention of caries, and increasing the secretion of saliva, if possible.
If you think your dry mouth is caused by certain medications you are taking, talk to your doctor. The doctor can adjust the dose or transfer you to another drug that does not cause dry mouth.
Prevention of caries due to dry mouth
Saliva not only helps digest food and enables chewing and swallowing, it is a natural mouth cleaner. Without saliva, the risks of caries and gum disease are higher.
If you have dry mouth, you need to follow the rules of oral hygiene more carefully:
- brush your teeth at least twice a day (preferably more often), after each meal and before going to bed;
- use toothpaste containing fluoride;
- visit the dentist for a check-up at least twice a year.
Increased salivation with dry mouth
If you have dry mouth, your doctor may also prescribe a mouthwash to rehydrate your mouth. There are also toothpastes and moisturizing gels for patients who experience dry mouth.
If such remedies do not help, the doctor can prescribe drugs that increase the production of saliva.
Also, new promising methods of treatment are currently being studied. Scientists are working on ways to restore salivary glands that have been damaged and are developing an artificial salivary gland that can be implanted.
What can be done to eliminate dry mouth?
The following steps can help improve saliva flow.
- Eat sugar-free candy or chew sugar-free gum, especially with xylitol. However, be aware that even if candy and gum are sugar-free, they can soften tooth enamel. Therefore, it is recommended to use such products only in moderate quantities.
- Try to avoid acidic foods such as lemon.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your mouth moist. Carry water with you to drink during the day and keep water by your bed at night.
- You should not rinse your mouth with liquid that contains alcohol or peroxide. These ingredients will dry out your mouth even more.
- Breathe through your nose, not your mouth, as much as possible.
- If the air in the room is dry, use a humidifier for the air, especially at night.
- Try to eat more liquid foods, including soups, broths, gravies, etc.
- Avoid salty foods, dry foods (such as crackers, toast, cookies, dry bread, dry meat/poultry/fish, dried fruit, and bananas), and foods and drinks high in sugar;
- Do not abuse alcoholic beverages and coffee. Alcohol increases water loss, causing frequent urination. Also, alcohol, like caffeine, dries the oral cavity.
- Smoking also causes dry mouth. So you should give up this habit.
Which doctor to consult if dry mouth does not go away
If you have dry mouth, especially if it is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms, you should contact your family doctor, who will refer you to a specialist depending on the cause.
If you have problems with your teeth or gums due to dry mouth, you should consult a dentist.