A dry mouth or xerostomia is a condition where the salivary gland that is present in an individual doesn't produce enough saliva. Saliva in the mouth is essential to keep it wet. It helps in moistening and further breaking down the food which eventually makes it easier to chew and swallow. It also protects the mouth from germs and prevents bad breath.
When there isn't enough saliva production in the mouth, one may experience a condition called dry mouth. A dry mouth can sometimes also be the leading cause of several other oral health concerns.
What Causes Dry Mouth?
There are varying reasons why one may experience dry mouth. In this blog, we have listed down a few points, which indicate the major causes of dry mouth.
1] Dehydration: Dehydration occurs when the body suffers the loss of too much fluid without any replenishment. This can happen due to several reasons which include illness, sweating, or diarrhea. In this condition, the body is unable to produce enough saliva which is one of the reasons for what causes dry mouth.
2] Medications: There are certain medications in which an individual may witness dry mouth as one of the side effects. It is extremely important to talk to your doctor to know about the side effects of any medications that you're taking.
3] Aging: The condition of dry mouth is quite common in the elderly. With age, one may experience dry mouth which can be the result of several health conditions, medications consumed, and more.
4] Smoking & Tobacco: Smoking and chewing tobacco results in a decrease in saliva production in the mouth, which causes dry mouth. Thus, for good oral as well as overall health, it is important to quit smoking and tobacco consumption at the earliest.
There are several other health conditions where one may experience dryness of the mouth.
Treatment For Dry Mouth:
There are several ways in which an individual can treat dryness of the mouth and increase saliva production.
1] Sip on plenty of water throughout the day in order to moisten the mouth and stimulate the salivary glands. It may help relieve dry mouth by increasing saliva production in the mouth.
2] It is ideal to avoid certain kinds of food and beverages in order to treat your dry mouth. Avoid consumption of caffeine and alcohol. Along with this, it is recommended to avoid foods with high salt and sugar intake as they can contribute to making your mouth even drier.
3] One can also chew sugar-free gum or suck on candies that are sugarless to help get relief from a dry mouth. This is because it will further assist in stimulating the saliva flow in the mouth.
4] Quit consuming products that contain tobacco in order to combat dry mouth. This is because tobacco decreases the production of saliva in the mouth, resulting in it becoming dry.
If you continue experiencing dry mouth for a long period of time, it is best recommended to visit a dentist. Your oral health concern may also be the underlying cause or can be related to other serious medical conditions. Be sure to talk to your doctor and take the necessary measures of treatment to combat dry mouth at the earliest.
In order to maintain the absolute hygiene of the mouth and attain prevention from various other oral diseases, it is ideal to clean the mouth thoroughly using a dental water flosser and a smart brush. An electric toothbrush and dental water flosser help in cleaning germs and bacteria from deep within the teeth & gums, even from hard-to-reach corners of the mouth.
