Everyone has a dry mouth once in a while if you are nervous, upset or under stress. But if you have a dry mouth all or most of the time, you may be suffering from xerostomia (dry mouth syndrome) which can be uncomfortable and can lead to serious dental and health problems. Rapid tooth deterioration can occur when saliva is diminished or completely absent. Bad breath, recurrent mouth ulcers, fragile teeth, higher decay rate, increased gum infections and tooth loss can result from untreated xerostomia.
Some of the common signs of dry mouth syndrome include:
• a sticky, dry feeling in the mouth
• bad breath
• trouble chewing, swallowing, tasting, or speaking
• a burning feeling in the mouth
• a dry feeling in the throat
• cracked lips, bleeding gums
• a dry, tough tongue
• mouth sores
• dentures become uncomfortable
• a persistent infection in the mouth
• need to wake up at night to drink water
• teeth become darker (yellow/grey)
Here are some things you can do for yourself:
• Sip water or sugarless drinks often. Avoid drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and some sodas as caffeine can dry out the mouth.
• Sip water or a sugarless drink during meals. This will make chewing and swallowing easier and may also improve the taste of food.
• Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless hard candy to stimulate saliva flow. Citrus, cinnamon or mint-flavoured candies are good choices.
• Don’t use tobacco or alcohol as they dry out the mouth.
• Be aware that spicy or salty foods may cause pain in a dry mouth. Avoid sticky, sugary foods. If you do eat them, brush immediately afterwards
• Use a humidifier at night.
• Keep your teeth healthy by gently brushing at least twice a day. Floss your teeth every day. Use specially formulated dry mouth dental products.
• Visit your dentist for regular check-ups
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People get dry mouth syndrome when the glands in the mouth that make saliva are not working properly. There are many different reasons for this. More than 400 medicines such as blood pressure treatments, anti-histamines, decongestants, diuretics, diet pills, smoking cessation treatments, anti-depressants and illicit drugs (heroin, cannabis and amphetamines) can cause dry mouth. People with certain disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, Sjögren’s Syndrome, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and people who have suffered a stroke can all cause dry mouth.
The salivary glands can be damaged if they are exposed to radiation during cancer treatment and some drugs used to treat cancer can make saliva thicker, causing the mouth to feel dry. Injury to the head or neck can damage the nerves that tell salivary glands to make saliva.
Your dentist or doctor may recommend additional treatments depending on what is causing the problem. If your dry mouth is caused by a medicine, your doctor might change your medicine or adjust the dosage. How we breathe also has some influence on our saliva. A normal breathing pattern generally occurs through our nostrils. Mouth-breathing is a condition where breathing is deferred to the mouth, mainly from deviations in the structure of the nose. Correcting this problem at an early age is more beneficial to your overall dental health, and can be coordinated with the individual’s growth process. The athlete involved in repetitive strenuous physical activity will also experience depleted saliva production. Saliva production lessens to a “non-essential” function as their performance requires peak muscle function.
The use of a mouth moisturiser is a beneficial aid in maintaining a healthy mouth.
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