Min menu

Pages

Dry Mouth: Why Is My Mouth Always Dry?

Dry Mouth: Why Is My Mouth Always Dry?

Dry Mouth

The dryness of the mouth, called xerostomia, is a frequent sensation that affects many people and is most often benign. It can affect everyone in case of dehydration or fever. However, under certain circumstances, this drying out can be durable and if so, it is more harmful than is believed. This is why it is essential to analyze the causes to remedy them.

Causes of dry mouth

The dry mouth sensation is often related to a lack of saliva and can cause bad breath, dryness of the throat and burns. It has several origins, the most common being a lack of hydration, anxiety, stress, age and smoking. Taking certain medications may also cause dry mouth: antidepressants, antihistamines, anti-epileptics as well as medications that treat migraine and asthma.

Some diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, hypertension, anemia and Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome (a disease that manifests itself in a low secretion of tears and saliva causing a dry syndrome ) Can also affect the salivary glands. People with head or neck cancer also have to deal with the sensation of dry mouth because some radiotherapies and chemotherapies tend to cause salivary gland damage and reduce saliva production.

Consequences of dry mouth

The dryness of the mouth can have serious consequences on oral hygiene. Since saliva is essential for digestion because it allows food degradation, limits the proliferation of bacteria and fungi and cleans the acids produced by plaque, decreased production can cause caries and Infections of the mouth and gum. Xerostomia can also complicate the wearing of dental prostheses because a dry gum makes this operation painful.

In some cases, a dry mouth may interfere with chewing and swallowing and cause nutritional deficiencies.

In addition to the uncomfortable situations it causes, dry mouth can be risky for oral health and the digestive system.

In general, it is possible to prevent and relieve this sensation of drought in a simple and effective way:
  • Drinking plenty of water throughout the day
  • By sucking natural sweets without sugar and organic in moderation
  • Avoiding drinks and food sources of dehydration such as coffee, alcohol and salty foods
  • By promoting soft or even liquid foods such as soup and mashed potatoes
  • By reducing or even halting tobacco consumption
  • By having an impeccable oral hygiene and using non-alcoholic mouthwashes
  • By placing a humidifier in the rooms of your home

When to consult?

If these measures have no effect, if the condition of your teeth and gums gets worse, and if the dryness of your mouth is accompanied by a dryness of your eyes and joint pain, then it is high time to Consult a physician and / or dentist to alleviate these symptoms. In most cases, the doctor will analyze your habits to see if you have started taking a medication recently, if you have a medical history, or if you have any of the diseases listed above, All of which are likely reasons for xerostomia. A physical examination of the salivary glands will also be performed to determine the causes of their obstruction and dysfunction.

If it turns out that drying of the mouth is caused by taking certain medications, the doctor will then be able to adjust the dose or replace them with others not causing xerostomia. They may also prescribe a medication that stimulates saliva production or advise you to purchase oral hygiene products that are effective against salivary gland dysfunction.