Does your mouth or throat ever feel dry and irritable, to the point where you have difficulty talking, swallowing or eating? Do you wake up in the morning and the inside of your mouth is bone dry? You might be suffering from xerostomia – or dry mouth, as it is commonly called. Here is some background on what xerostomia is and how you can deal with it, with a little help from your dentist!
What is Xerostomia?
Xerostomia is a dryness in the mouth that is often caused by a reduced amount of saliva or a change in the makeup of the saliva. As a result, the mouth feels dry and things like talking, eating and swallowing become more difficult.
Common symptoms of dry mouth include a parched feeling in the mouth, continuous thirst, dry or cracked skin on the lips and in the corners of the mouth and a sore or irritable throat.
But saliva does more than lubricate the mouth. Saliva contains enzymes that start the breakdown of food as part of the digestive process and contributes to how foods and liquids taste. Saliva also controls the amount of bacteria and fungi in the mouth and washes away food particles after eating, so the impact of dry mouth goes far beyond discomfort in the mouth and throat.
What Causes Dry Mouth?
There are several common causes for dry mouth, but in some cases it can happen for no apparent reason.
The most common cause for dry mouth is medications. It is a common side effect for many different types of prescription and nonprescription drugs, muscle relaxants and sedatives. As such, dry mouth is more common in older people who are more likely to be taking some form of medication.
There are also some non-medicinal causes for dry mouth. People who breathe through their mouths often suffer from dry mouth because inhaling and exhaling air through the mouth carries away much of the moisture in the mouth.
Nerve damage to the head or neck area can also lead to dry mouth, as can raised levels of stress, anxiety, depression and dehydration.
In some cases dry mouth can go undiagnosed.
Treating Dry Mouth
The treatment for dry mouth depends on the cause.
If you’re on some sort of medication that causes dry mouth then you might have to just live with it until you finish the medication. If your dry mouth is really bad, you might need to carry a bottle of water or other drink around with you wherever you go or you might ask your doctor if different medications can be prescribed.
If you breathe through your mouth, try and make a conscious effort to breathe through your nose. Breathing through your mouth not only causes dry mouth but can also cause malformations of the face and jaw, gingivitis and digestive disorders.
If you sleep with your mouth open, try put a humidifier in your bedroom to keep more moisture in the air or try sleeping in a different position. It might not totally solve your problem, but it might make it more bearable.
How Your Dentist Can Help
Your dentist can help manage dry mouth by ensuring that your oral health is maintained at a high level.
There might be more bacteria in your mouth and plaque might form on your teeth and along your gum lines because there isn’t a high enough amount of saliva to wash the food particles away after you eat.
You can help keep your mouth healthy by brushing your teeth after every meal, removing all of the food particles with your toothbrush, or if brushing isn’t a practical option then at least try and rinse excess food particles away after eating.
Your dentist might recommend more frequent cleanings and checkups just to make sure that any oral health issues caused by dry mouth are dealt with as swiftly as possible and before they become too serious.
Orion Dental offers a complete range of dental services, including regular checkups and cleanings, teeth whitening, conscious sedation dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and oral surgery. If you’re looking for a dentist in Milton or a dentist in Scarborough for the entire family, call us to book an appointment and let’s get started!
