About Dry Mouth

When we don't produce enough saliva, the mouth gets dry and uncomfortable. This decreased production of saliva is known as dry mouth or xerostomia. Dry mouth affects about 10% of all people and is more prevalent in women than men. Disorders of saliva production affect elderly people effectively affecting around one in five elderly people. As people get older, they tend to take more medicines; half of all Americans aged 60-plus take three or more prescription medicines on a regular basis. This is the primary reason why older people are more likely to suffer from chronic Dry Mouth.

Saliva is an essential part of a healthy mouth and is often taken for granted. The lubricating properties of saliva provide comfort and help protect the oral tissues against ulcers, sores, and other effects of friction. Saliva neutralizes acids and provides antibodies against a bacterial threat. Saliva helps digest food and helps teeth in mineralization. Saliva is also a very essential contributor to a person's ability to taste, as it acts as a solvent for the taste stimuli.

There are many causes of dry mouth. Dry mouth most commonly occurs as a side effect of medications that cause decrease saliva production, including blood pressure medications, antihistamines, antidepressants, diuretics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, and many others. Other causes of dry mouth are radiation treatments to treat cancerous tumors, salivary gland diseases, diabetes, hormonal imbalance, mouth breathing, sleep apnea, autoimmune disorders such as Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia, are other risk factors for developing xerostomia.

Salivary production is often decreased when a major salivary duct becomes blocked, such as from a stone or infection. Dehydration is one of the main factors contributing to dry mouth. Conditions that lead to dehydration, such as fever, excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, and burns can cause dry mouth. Lifestyle choices which include smoking or chewing tobacco can affect saliva production and aggravate dry mouth. Continuously breathing with your mouth open can also contribute to the problem.

Patients suffering from dry mouth or xerostomia experience the common symptoms of sticky dry feeling in the mouth, frequent thirst, sores or split skin at the corners of the mouth; cracked lips, dry feeling in the throat, burning or tingling sensation in the mouth and especially on the tongue, dry red tongue, problems speaking or difficulty tasting, chewing, and swallowing. Hoarseness, dry nasal passages, and sore throat.

To determine if you have dry mouth, your doctor or dentist likely will examine your mouth and review your medical history and all medications you're taking, including over-the-counter medications. Sometimes you may need blood tests, imaging scans of your salivary glands or tests that measure how much saliva you produce to identify the cause of your dry mouth. If your doctor suspects your dry mouth is caused by Sjogren's syndrome, a small sample of cells (biopsy) taken from salivary glands in your lip may be sent for testing.

Practical measures that will help resolve dry mouth, whatever the causes are: take frequent sips or sprays of cold water. Always have a glass of water next to you when you go to bed. Suck ice cubes. Sugar-free chewing gum is often helpful. Eating pineapple chunks or partly frozen melon is often soothing and helpful.

Some people find that it helps to suck boiled sweets. (But, sugary or acidic sweets are not typically good for teeth.). Consider reducing or cutting out caffeine and alcohol which have a diuretic effect. (This means that they can make you pass out more urine, which can be dehydrating.) Caffeine occurs in tea, coffee, cola, and other drinks. It is also part of some medicines. You can apply petroleum jelly to your lips to prevent drying and cracking. Sometimes if it’s not adequate then your doctor can prescribe spray, gel or lozenge for the production of artificial saliva or saliva stimulants like pilocarpine.