Dry mouth, or xerostomia, occurs when the saliva glands in the mouth do not function properly. It creates a dry, sticky feeling in the mouth and throat, causes bad breath, cracked lips, and gum irritation, and promotes tooth decay because there isn’t sufficient saliva to wash away food particles and bacteria. Below is more information about what causes dry mouth and how you can alleviate symptoms with help from your dentist.

What Causes Dry Mouth & How Can I Relieve My Symptoms?

Causes

Dry mouth has a variety of causes ranging from mild to serious. Your dentist will ask you about your daily water intake, as you may simply be dehydrated. Excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, and blood loss also contribute to dehydration and, subsequently, dry mouth.

Certain medications list dry mouth as a side effect, including drugs for Parkinson’s disease, pain, anxiety, depression, obesity, colds, and acne, among others. Medical treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can cause the condition because they damage the salivary glands. Diseases, injuries, and conditions such as HIV, Parkinson’s, mumps, anemia, diabetes, nerve damage, and rheumatoid arthritis include dry mouth symptoms as well. Lifestyle habits such as tobacco use dry out the mouth to increase the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

Treatments

Treatment depends on the cause; however, increasing water intake alleviates symptoms and boosts overall health regardless of your specific reason for dry mouth. Your dentist may refer you to a specialist if the issue is deeper than dehydration or a medication side effect, and they will suggest practices such as limiting your caffeine intake, quitting tobacco products, using a humidifier, breathing through your nose, and using alcohol-free mouthwash. Eating foods high in water such as watermelon, cucumber, and other fruits and vegetables helps as well. If your dry mouth is due to a bigger health issue, your physician will help you determine a long-term treatment plan.

Don’t let dry mouth impact your oral health. Make an appointment with Robert N. Petrtyl, DDS, the Cincinnati, OH-based dentist serving patients throughout Blue Ash, Wyoming, Reading, Cincinnati, Mason, Finneytown, Mount Healthy, and Winton Hills. This renowned dentist offers over 30 years of experience and provides specialty services such as oral surgery and snoring devices as well as cosmetic and general dentistry. Call (513) 554-4657 to schedule your appointment, and visit the website for a full service list.