Dry Mouth? Check Out the Causes, Consequences, Treatment, and Prevention

Dry mouth, also medically called ‘Xerostomia’, is the condition when an individual does not have adequate saliva to keep the mouth wet. Saliva acts a vital role in maintaining and balancing your dental health.

A Dry mouth may appear to be slightly frustrating but can do great damage to your teeth. It’s painful as well.

Causes

• • Stress, depression, or extreme panic attack
  • Frequent smoking or drinking
  • Autoimmune disorder or Sjogren’s syndrome
  • Nerve has been damaged because of head or neck injury
  • Chemotherapy
  • Dehydration
  • Radiation
  • Sleep apnea
  • Aging
  • Certain drugs
  • Diseases, for example, Periodontitis, Diabetes, Parkinson’s, or HIV

Why should you never ignore its symptoms?

• Saliva always helps to keep your mouth clean and even combats bacteria. It lessens the acids that cause tooth decay.

So if you have a dry mouth at night, you’re simply building a room for harboring bacteria inside your mouth. You’ll be asleep for several hours, and for the whole night you wouldn’t even wake up to drink water. With a lack of saliva, your teeth will gradually become exposed to cavities and also bacterial infection.

• When you have a dry mouth it generates foul breath.
• Lack of saliva transforms the skin in and around your mouth dry and also tight. Your lips can even crack. You may get sores at the corners of your mouth as well. It may even become difficult for you to swallow and talk.
• Dry mouth can disturb your taste buds as well. You may feel a salty, metallic, or other taste in your mouth. Your tongue may turn rough and dry too.
• The saliva also plays a crucial role to ease your digestion. It helps to break down food substances into simpler forms.

You may even find trouble with your digestive system because of inadequate saliva. More particularly, when you swallow your food, you may suffer problems, as they are not broken down in a proper manner.

• You can develop red spots inside your mouth. You may even suffer from ulcers due to a dry mouth.
• The bacterial content in your mouth rises and there is a high risk of dental infection. So when the food enters your stomach, that food contains bacteria. And this can also lead to food poisoning.
• The glands that are present in front of your ears, also termed as parotids may turn swollen.
• Please note that a dry mouth may also be a warning sign of serious oral cancer.
• Dentures become painful to handle. Dry mouth and dentures never go together. If your mouth is dry, the dentures can cause sores.

When Should I See My Dentist?

If you notice that your dry mouth at night is chronic or only began when you started taking a new medication, then go to your dentist without any delay. Your dentist may alter your dosage or may ask you to switch to another drug.

You may also receive drugs to boost the function of your salivary glands.

Seek instant dental help if you have a dry mouth and are suffering from other serious symptoms which include- difficulty in swallowing, breathing, or high fever.

Prevention

• Go for dental check ups regularly
• Brush and floss daily
• Get an antibacterial mouth-rinse to wash your mouth after every meal
• Keep yourself hydrated throughout the day
• Chew sugar-free gums to increase saliva production
• Get a humidifier to add more moisture to the air

Get the Help you need!

You can get in touch with Hamilton Town Dentistry if you want to receive the best dental care in Noblesville, IN. Our dentist in Noblesville works hard to provide our patients the best treatment for any of their dental issues along with optimal comfort. We are just a call away.

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