Dry mouth, also called xerostomia, is when the salivary glands in your mouth do not make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Dry mouth often comes with aging, the side effects of certain medicines, or radiation therapy for cancer. A condition directly affecting the salivary glands can also cause dry mouth. You also might experience dry mouth momentarily if you are thirsty or are feeling anxious.
For some people, xerostomia, or dry mouth, is annoying. For some others, dry mouth can affect their general health and the overall health of teeth and gums. It can affect how much you eat and how much you enjoy what you eat. Your treatment for dry mouth depends on the cause.
Symptoms of Xerostomia
If you are not producing enough saliva, you may notice these symptoms all or some of the time:
- Dryness or a sticky feeling in your mouth.
- Your saliva seems thick and stringy.
- Constant bad breath.
- You are having a tough time chewing, speaking, and swallowing.
- Your throat is dry or sore and you are hoarse.
- A dry or grooved tongue.
- A changed sense of taste.
- You have problems wearing dentures.
- Lipstick sticks to your teeth.
Saliva helps prevent tooth decay by washing away excess sugar and food particles and making harmful bacteria neutral and less harmful. When you do not have enough saliva, you might find it difficult to taste, chew and swallow. You could also have a challenging time digesting food.
Causes of Xerostomia
Dry mouth is the result of the salivary glands in your mouth not making enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Sometimes these glands might not function properly due to:
- Medicines- Hundreds of medicines, including medicines available without a prescription, can cause dry mouth. Some of the medicines more likely to cause problems are those for depression, high blood pressure and anxiety, as well as some decongestants, antihistamines, muscle relaxants and even pain relievers.
- Aging- Older people can have symptoms of dry mouth as they age. Certain changes in your body processing medicine, poor nutrition and long-term health problems can cause your dry mouth.
- Cancer therapy- Medicine to treat cancer, or chemotherapy, can change the nature of saliva and the amount. This might be for a limited time, with normal salivary flow returning after treatment ends. Radiation treatments to the head and neck can damage salivary glands, also lowering saliva production.
- Nerve damage- An injury or surgery that causes nerve damage to the head and neck area can then result in dry mouth.
- Other health conditions- Dry mouth can be from certain health conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, a yeast infection in the mouth or Alzheimer's disease. It can also be due to autoimmune diseases, such as Sjogren syndrome or HIV/AIDS.
- Snoring and mouth breathing- Snoring and breathing with your mouth open can lead to dry mouth.
- Tobacco and alcohol use- Drinking alcohol and smoking or chewing tobacco can lead to dry mouth symptoms.
Speak with your dentist if you are suffering from dry mouth.