We all have a dry mouth occasionally; it can stem from any number of conditions. But if it persists, you should speak to a professional.
Dry mouth (aka cottonmouth) is a condition where you don’t have enough saliva to keep your mouth moist. Most of us have experienced a dry mouth, especially if we are nervous or stressed. You may need to see a professional if you have this condition more often, though.
Saliva is critical — it’s not just there to make us comfortable. We need saliva to protect our teeth from decay, prevent mouth infections and make it possible to chew and swallow. Without treatment, a dry mouth can allow more severe conditions to develop — or go undetected.
How will I know if I have a dry mouth?
Dry, sticky feeling in the mouth
Difficulty swallowing
Dry throat
Burning sensation on the tongue
Difficulty talking or chewing
Cracked lips
Mouth sores
Diminished ability to taste food
Metallic taste in the mouth
Bad breath
How to treat a dry mouth
Dry mouth is a condition, not a disease, and many things may cause it. To stop a dry mouth, you need to treat the underlying condition. Until you can treat the underlying condition or have a disease or medications that cannot change, you can restore moisture in your mouth in the following ways:
- Chew sugar-free gum is or sugarless hard candy to stimulate saliva flow
- Sip water or sugarless drinks often
- Avoid tobacco or alcohol as they both dry the mouth
- Avoid caffeinated beverages and sodas, which can cause dryness in the mouth
- Use a humidifier at night while sleeping
Reasons for a dry mouth
We may not have enough saliva for a variety of reasons, such as:
- Medication: Over 400 medications can cause dry mouth, including painkillers, antihistamines, antidepressants, decongestants, diuretics and high blood pressure medication
- Disease: Various diseases affect the salivary glands, such as Parkinson’s disease, Hodgkins, diabetes, Sjogren’s syndrome and HIV/AIDS.
- Chemotherapy: Cancer drugs may make saliva thicker, causing your mouth to feel dry
- Radiation therapy: If your head and neck are exposed to radiation during treatment, the salivary glands may be damaged.
- Menopause: A change in hormone levels may affect the salivary glands, leaving menopausal and postmenopausal women with a constant dry mouth.