In this article find What Causes a Dry Mouth? Dry mouth is also known as xerostomia. It occurs when salivary glands in your mouth don’t produce enough saliva.
Have you ever had an uncomfortable and tight feeling in your mouth? If so, then you could be suffering from a dry mouth or xerostomia. In simple terms, a dry mouth is said to be experienced when the amount of saliva in your mouth decreases, and the tissues of your mouth or throat become arid. This dryness then leads to a constant uncomfortable feeling, which irritates you during day and night. Some people may even experience lip cracks, mouth sores, and difficulty in eating, drinking, and talking when they have a dry mouth. Therefore, it is undoubtedly an issue everyone wants to get treatment for.
Apart from facilitating eating, drinking, and talking, saliva also helps prevent tooth decay, infections, and fungus formation. Thus, the mouth needs to produce an adequate amount of saliva always. To further understand this condition, here we discuss it in detail. By the end of the article, you know how this condition occurs, its symptoms, and its treatment.
Causes of a Dry Mouth
According to the Dental reports, there are many causes of xerostomia. Here, we state the most common ones:
Medicines
Certain medicines can cause a dry mouth. Many experts have specifically mentioned medication for depression, nausea, pain, anxiety, and cold; as such medications cause dry mouth as a side effect.Moreover, even specific medical treatments cause a dry mouth. Some healthy and harsh treatments, such as chemotherapy, can damage the glands that are responsible for producing saliva. If the salivary glands are damaged, less saliva is produced in the mouth, and xerostomia is experienced.Diseases or Infections
According to the Dentist, some medical conditions such as AIDS, stroke, mumps, anemia, and diabetes can cause a dry mouth. Even some common infections trigger this condition.
Injury
A dry mouth can also be caused due to nerve damage, which could be caused by an injury.
Dehydration
Any condition that prompts the body to dehydrate can also cause a dry mouth.
Smoking and Drinking
Excessive smoking or drinking harms the saliva producing glands; it is known to cause the oral tissues to dry and cause xerostomia.
Physical Habit
Excessive smoking or drinking harms the saliva producing glands; it is known to cause the oral tissues to dry and cause xerostomia.Mental Instability
The Dentist report mentions that people who suffer from high stress, anxiety, or depression are more likely to suffer from a dry mouth than those who do not.
Common Symptoms of Dry Mouth
The following symptoms occur with xerostomia:
- Bad breath
- Difficulty in speaking, eating or swallowing
- Rough or excessively dry tongue
- Cracking lips
- Mouth sores that do not heal after sometime
- Constant dry, sticky or burning feeling in the mouth
- Frequent infections
- Frequent cough or sore throat
Treatment for Dry Mouth
The treatment for dry mouth is relatively simple than other health or dental issues. However, before we begin discussing the treatment options, you need to know that for effective treatment, you will have to inform your dentist of all your symptoms, any ongoing treatments, and your medical history. Such information helps in diagnosing the cause. Thus the procedure is effectively assigned.
The more details and information you produce, the more chances of your quick recovery. Let’s now review some of the treatment options that most experts usually opt for. In most cases, the expert will give you an oral rinse, which will help balance the saliva in your mouth. However, in extreme cases, oral medication may also be prescribed; this medicine will enhance the production of saliva and will keep your mouth moist at all times. These methods are effective and quick to react if they are followed as recommended. Apart from the above treatment options, experts also suggest the following acts:
Eating Certain Foods
The dental research reports confirm that the sucking and chewing activity helps promote saliva productions. Thus, most experts will recommend chewing gum or sucking candy.
Drink Water
The dental reports confirm that the sucking and chewing activity helps promote saliva productions. Thus, most experts will recommend chewing gum or sucking candy.
Moisturize
Several experts suggest the use of oral moisturizers for the mouth and lips. In addition to oral moisturizers, some may even suggest keeping a vaporizer in your room to increase the moisture in the surrounding.
Alter Diet
To cure a dry mouth, you will need to watch what you consume. You should avoid having sticky, spicy, or sugary foods. You should include softer foods in your diet and completely eliminate some drinks such as tea, coffee, and sodas as they all enhance the dryness in the mouth.
Breathing Issues
To cure xerostomia, you need to make sure that you breathe through your nose as much as you can. However, if you cannot, then you must visit an ENT specialist who will prescribe an appropriate treatment.
Sprays and Drops
If your condition is mild, then the expert will recommend some artificial saliva substitutes. These are readily available at all pharmacies.
Why Should you Opt for Treatment?
Apart from the painful and troubling symptoms, there are other reasons why a dry mouth should be treated. People who suffer from xerostomia are more likely to suffer from different dental issues, including tooth decay, mouth infection, and gum disease.
These dental issues then trigger several other health illnesses; therefore, once the above symptoms are being experienced, you should get an appointment with your dentist and undergo the treatment. The above dentistry treatment options are simple, easy, and inexpensive to follow, thus schedule an appointment whenever you need to.