Why Dry Mouth Happens And How To Handle It

Saliva serves a major purpose in keeping our mouths healthy. It helps us digest food plus it keeps bacteria under control. But what happens when your mouth doesn’t create enough saliva and you get dry mouth?

Why Does Dry Mouth Happen?

There are a number of reasons why you might have a dry mouth. For example, many medications have dry mouth as a common side effect. And if it’s not the medications themselves, it could be the infection or disease you have. Diabetes is notorious for dry mouth as is cystic fibrosis, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and Parkinson’s disease.

Dehydration is perhaps the biggest culprit for causing dry mouth. If you’re ill with a fever, you have a greater chance of experiencing dry mouth from dehydration. All the more reason to keep filling yourself up with water.

Lifestyle is another reason dry mouth occurs. If you breathe with your mouth open, you will experience this type of discomfort. And if you smoke - which you shouldn’t - you can severely limit how much saliva your mouth is capable of producing.

Dry mouth goes beyond just being thirsty. If you have the condition of dry mouth, you’ll likely experience frequent thirst and the following symptoms:

- A dry feeling in your mouth

- Sores or cracked lips

- Feeling dry in your throat

- Burning or tingling, particularly on your tongue

- Your tongue looks dry, red, and raw

- Trouble with speaking, tasting, chewing, or swallowing

- Feeling hoarse

- Bad breath

Left untreated, dry mouth can cause dental woes for you in the future. You’ll be more prone to gum disease, tooth decay, and other oral maladies. If you have dry mouth, you should take care of the problem as quickly as possible.

How To Handle Dry Mouth

If you have dry mouth and are taking medications or have a medical condition that might be causing it, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor right away. They can help you get to the bottom of it by changing medication or adjusting your dosage.

In addition to that, you can find other ways to get the saliva flowing. One great way is to start chewing sugar-free gum with xylitol in it. You should also be sure you’re drinking plenty of water. You’re not a camel! Keep a bottle of water with you all day and make sure you’re drinking it and replenishing it often.

Brush and use a mouth rinse. Your dentist can make recommendations for what is best. There are also over-the-counter artificial saliva substitutes. Again, your dentist may be helpful in giving you a recommendation for one to try.

Keeping the mouth and body hydrated are important steps to take to remedy dry mouth. Try to breathe through your nose rather than your mouth and make use of a vaporizer in your room at night to add moisture to dry air.

Combining all these tactics should help you relieve your dry mouth and keep your teeth and gums healthy!

Looking for a 100% all-natural liquid tooth oil and mouth rinse? Check out OraMD Original Strength and OraMD Extra Strength. Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral health and skincare. If you are looking for more health resources make sure to check out the Trusted Health Resources list. 

Written By:

Jennifer Raskin is a freelance writer, wife and mom that loves cold weather despite her location in Florida, cooking, reading, watching ‘80s movies, weight-lifting, and wine tasting.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com. 

Photo by Autri Taheri on Unsplash