What is Dry Mouth?
When you have dry mouth, you don’t have enough saliva or spit to keep your mouth moist. The dental term “xerostomia” means that your mouth is dry because the glands that make saliva aren’t working as well as they should. It can make it hard to taste, chew, swallow, talk, and even cause tooth decay and other mouth infections.
What makes it happen?
When salivary glands are not working right, people get a dry mouth. These glands, which are called salivary glands, might not work right for a number of reasons. Some medicines can cause: Because of some medicines, the salivary glands may make less saliva. Many medicines for high blood pressure and depression can make your mouth feel dry. Diseases like diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and Parkinson’s can affect the salivary glands and cause a dry mouth. When radiation is used to treat cancer, the salivary glands can be hurt if they are exposed to it. Chemotherapy: Drugs used to treat cancer can make saliva thicker, which can leave the mouth feeling dry. Nerve damage: If you get hurt in the head or neck, the nerves that make salivary glands work can be hurt. Stress is often linked to a dry mouth. If it’s always there, it can be annoying and even cause serious health problems.
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What do the signs look like?
If you have dry mouth, these are some of the most common signs and symptoms: feeling sticky and dry in the mouth Trouble chewing, swallowing, tasting, or speaking. A burning feeling in the mouth. cracked lips, a dry feeling in the throat, a mouth infection, a sore throat, bad breath, a change in taste, tooth decay, and gum disease. Having trouble speaking, sores in the mouth, a dry tongue, or an infection in the mouth
How do you treat it?
The best way to treat a problem depends on what’s causing it. The dentist or doctor will try to figure out what is going wrong. If the dry mouth is caused by a medicine, the doctor may change the medicine or change the amount you take. If the salivary glands aren’t working right but still make some saliva, the doctor or dentist might give the glands some medicine to help them work better. He could tell you to use fake saliva to keep your mouth moist.
What are the ways to stop it?
Often drinking water or drinks without sugar Coffee, tea, and some sodas all have caffeine in them, so you should stay away from them. Coffee can make the mouth dry. Not through the mouth but through the nose. People should stay away from tobacco and alcohol. They make the mouth dry. Trying to stay away from foods that are too salty, spicy, or sweet. Using a nighttime humidifier. If your mouth is dry, you need to take extra care of your teeth to keep them healthy. Going to the dentist at least twice a year for a check-up. The dentist might give you a special fluoride solution to rinse with to help keep your teeth healthy.