Why do I always have a dry mouth? 5 common causes and how to fix them
Feeling dry mouth is more common among people than you think. We tell you why it can occur and how you can solve it.
Dry mouth may seem more like a persistent annoyance than a symptom of a more serious health problem. But if your body puts saliva in your mouth, it's for a reason, as Matt Messina, DDS, dentist, says: "The bacteria that cause cavities and periodontal disease thrive in a dry environment." While cavities are always a concern, gum disease is the biggest concern.
If that wasn't bad enough, your saliva is alkaline and therefore helps prevent acids from the foods you eat from corroding your teeth, the dentist notes. In addition, a sore throat, trouble speaking or swallowing, and a burning sensation in the mouth are also unpleasant or painful symptoms of dry mouth.
For all of these reasons, dry mouth is a pernicious condition that can lead to many other problems if left untreated. Here are five common causes of dry mouth and how to fix it .
Cause 1: prescription drugs
Dr. Messina says that there are more than 600 medications whose side effect is dry mouth. That includes very popular categories like gastrointestinal drugs, blood pressure drugs and drugs used to treat psychiatric disorders, he adds.
Cause 2: aging
"As we age, our salivary glands don't work as well as they should," says Dr. Messina. "As a result, we produce less saliva." To wrinkles and tiredness, add dry mouth as an effect of old age .
Cause 3: dehydration
"Being dehydrated can cause or exacerbate dry mouth," says Dr. Messina. So if you are one of those who drink little water a day, you may have to rethink it or you will have difficulty producing enough saliva.
Cause 4: breathing problems
Problems with the nostrils or the nasal septum, the barrier that divides the left nostril from the right, can make it hard for you to breathe through your nose, says Dr. Messina. "And breathing through your mouth can certainly cause dry mouth," he explains.
Cause 5: medical conditions
Specific medical conditions can also cause dry mouth. These include salivary gland diseases, Sjogren's syndrome, HIV, or diabetes, among others.
dry mouth solutions
The first tip to remedy the mouth is to drink more water. A prescription that is stepped up if you tend to feel dry after drinking alcohol , says Dr. Messina.
Chewing sugarless gum can also help speed up saliva production, says Dr. Burgess, who adds that if that and drinking more water aren't enough, there are a variety of rinses and toothpastes that many dry mouth sufferers find helpful. effective. "There are products of this type that can be bought without a prescription and can be useful to stimulate the production of saliva or replace it," he says. In this group would be the pills or sprays that replace saliva.
Although this works, they are remedies whose effectiveness lasts only one day and are optimal in specific cases of dry mouth. But if you wake up every morning with a sore throat or other dry mouth symptoms, it's best to talk to your dentist about your dry mouth problems so they can assess the case and act accordingly. "The best treatment really depends on the individual," says Dr. Burgess. "If dry mouth bothers you, see a doctor."
If the dryness is caused by a pill you're taking, talk to your doctor about switching to another medication that treats the same problem without causing dry mouth.
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