There are few things in life as awful as suffering from dry mouth. You know the feeling I am talking about, like your mouth is full of cotton and no amount of water could help. Even if you do not have chronic dry mouth, there is a chance you have experienced the sensation at some point. Olivia, one of our highly skilled hygienists at Reflections Dental Care has some answers regarding dry mouth.
When asking what the cause of dry mouth might be, Olivia told us that there are many reasons. Dry mouth is often a side effect of certain medications. While some medications might not have dry mouth listed as a side effect, it can become a side effect when other medications are taken, this can be referred to as polypharmacy. Radiation and chemotherapy are also common culprits when it comes to dry mouth. Mouth breathing, clogged salivary glands, smoking, age, and spicy foods are all common contributors to that dry mouth feeling.
While it might feel like there is nothing you can do to remedy the situation, Here are some suggestions that might help! The easiest remedy is to stay hydrated and drink water throughout the day. Being hydrated can go a long way in remedying your dry mouth. Another tip is to try and use sugar-free mints or sugar free gum in order to stimulate the salivary glands, dry mouth products like Biotene work as well. It is important to try and treat dry mouth because of the possible complications. Dry mouth can cause patients to be more prone to cavities, acid erosion, oral candidiasis, altered taste, halitosis, dysphagia and fissured tongue.
If you suffer from dry mouth, our team at Reflections Dental Care is here to help in any way possible. Next time you are in, mention the problem to your hygienist or doctor and we can figure out the best solution to remedy that awful dry mouth feeling.