Table of contents:
- Causes of dry mouth
- 1. Dehydration
- 2. Lifestyle factors
- 3. Nerve damage
- 4. Use of certain drugs
- 5. Certain diseases
- When should you see a doctor for dry mouth?
Saliva or saliva is a fluid produced by the salivary glands or salivary glands that play a role in moisturizing and cleaning the mouth, digesting food, and preventing tooth decay. The way saliva works is by neutralizing acids produced by bacteria, limiting bacterial growth, and cleaning food particles in the mouth. Saliva also plays a role in preventing the mouth from drying out; because it is dry, the ability of the mouth to fight bacteria and swallow food is reduced. In fact, dry mouth can interfere with your appetite.
Even though dry mouth is a normal condition, however, persistently dry mouth can be a sign of a problem in your mouth.
If your mouth is dry, then usually, you will experience chapped lips, bad breath, dry or grooved tongue, difficulty speaking, difficulty eating and swallowing, dry throat or sore throat, hoarseness, and disturbances in the sense of taste.
Causes of dry mouth
The following are some of the things that can cause dry mouth:
1. Dehydration
Dehydration is a condition in which the body doesn't get enough fluids as needed; so, it can make the mouth dry. Some of the conditions that can make you dehydrated are nervousness or anxiety, excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, or burns. To prevent dehydration, you need to increase your consumption of vegetables, fruits and drinking water.
2. Lifestyle factors
Smoking habits and alcohol consumption can actually affect how much saliva is produced. Studies have found that long-term smoking significantly reduces saliva flow and improves oral and dental disorders associated with dry mouth, particularly caries, gingivitis, tooth mobility, calculus, and halitosis (severe bad breath).
3. Nerve damage
Dry mouth can also be caused by nerve damage to the head and neck area due to injury or surgery; and damage to the salivary glands which can affect the amount of saliva production in the mouth.
4. Use of certain drugs
Taking antidepressants, antihistamines, and diuretics can actually dry out your mouth. This is also a cause of dry mouth in adults, in addition to factors in changes in the body's ability to process drugs, inadequate nutrition, and long-term health problems.
5. Certain diseases
Certain health conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, yeast infection in the mouth (thrush), Alzheimer's disease, or autoimmune diseases can also contribute to dry mouth.
When should you see a doctor for dry mouth?
Simple things you can do when your mouth is dry is to drink lots of water, chew sugar-free gum, limit caffeine consumption, stop smoking, or use mouthwash that contains xylitol to stimulate the salivary glands to produce saliva. However, if this does not work for dry mouth, then you need to consult a doctor to get the right treatment.
