Let’s talk about dry mouth-
Dry mouth is a condition where you feel that your mouth is consistently dry because of a lack of saliva. It can be uncomfortable and cause issue when eating and speaking. It can also give dental problems such as increased risk of decay, risk of oral infections such as thrush, bad breath, mouth ulcers, burning mouth sensation, and dry and cracked lips.
Dry mouth can be caused by many things. These include:
- not drinking enough water
- being on certain medications, such as blood pressure medication, antidepressant or anxiety medication, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
- having immune conditions such as Sjogren’s Syndrome
- snoring or mouth breathing
- drinking a lot of alcohol, or caffeinated drinks.
- smoking
What can I do to help?
Treatment of dry mouth depends on the cause. We always aim to treat the problem at the cause, rather than treating the symptoms.
Here are some easy things to do:
- Drink more tap water through the day.
- Stimulate your saliva by chewing sugar free gum (a non-acidic flavour such as mint is best!)
- Drink flavoured water (non-acidic flavour such as mint or cucumber is best!)
- Use a bi-carb rinse to neutralise any mouth acid.
- Use a higher strength fluoride toothpaste.
- Look to fix the cause of mouth breathing and snoring. A sleep study might be helpful for you.
- Avoiding acidic and spicy food and drinks.
- Speak to your doctor- Ask your doctor if there are any alternatives to the medications you take. You may also be able to take a medication to increase the flow of saliva. Do not start or stop taking medications without seeking advise from your doctor.
- See a dentist more often- decay can turn up quickly. Seeing a dentist frequently can help catch these small cavities before they turn into big problems.
Depending on the cause, our dentists can chat with you to help you live your most comfortable life.
