Tips For Healing and Remedies

If you frequently have trouble when chewing, you may have dry mouth or halitosis. The dryness can affect your sense of taste and smell as well. Dry Mouth While Sleeping, more commonly known as xerostomia, is a common condition that causes a reduced volume of saliva in your mouth.

Read More Here: Xerostomia And Caries

A dry mouth slows down the digestion process. It can result in serious malnutrition, extreme dry mouth, throat, or gum infections, and interfere with a person’s ability to talk, swallow, or even eat. There are many different causes for dry mouths, such as dehydration, stomach upsets, or respiratory problems such as asthma. Other causes include medications, tooth decay, penicillin, strep throat, dry mouth from dental caries, or sinus infections. Dry mouth occurs when the salivary glands do not produce enough saliva.

Here are a Few Tips

Avoid Sweet Foods

Avoid sweet foods, candy, mints and most caffeinated drinks. Caffeine can dehydrate. If you drink too much coffee or tea, try to limit its consumption to one or two cups per day to minimize dehydration. Limit the amount of sugar you take in. Sweets tend to create more saliva, which is known to contribute to dehydration. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. If you regularly sip on water and stay hydrated, it will help alleviate dry mouth caused by dehydration. Dentists suggest brushing your teeth three times a day to reduce the risks of dental problems due to dehydration.

Causes

1. Medications causes dry mouth

Some medications can cause dry mouth due to their ingredients and inactive ingredients. Consult with your health care provider if you frequently take certain medications such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications, asthma medications, antibiotics, beta-blockers, sedatives and tranquillizers. Consult with your dentist if you are taking sedatives frequently. Your dentist can also help you figure out certain medications causing dry mouth due to their side effects. Most health problems caused by dry mouth can be treated by changing certain medications.

Certain medications, including aspirin, ibuprofen and antihistamines, can cause dry mouth due to the drying effect of many decongestants. You’ll need to seek advice from your healthcare provider if you use any decongestant to relieve migraine, tension or anxiety symptoms. Many decongestants are available over the counter. In some cases, if a person uses an NSAID for long enough, a side effect may be dry mouth, rhinitis (affecting the nose), and even swelling of the mouth.

2. Tooth Decay and Gum Disease

Tooth decay and gum disease are two other common dental issues linked with dry mouth and halitosis. Tooth decay occurs when bacteria infect the nerve cells within the tooth. It results in cavities and gum diseases that result in pain and sensitivity and create bad breath. Gum diseases occur when bacteria from the mouth become trapped in the crevices of your teeth. They are known as periodontal diseases. Mouth sores and tooth decay symptoms cause halitosis.

3. Smoking causes Dry Mouth

Smoking, especially second-hand smoking, can cause dry mouth due to the drying effect of tobacco products. Second-hand smoking is the most common cause of tobacco product allergies and second-hand smoke. People who smoke find that they develop symptoms of dry mouth even if they do not have oral problems. Tobacco products are known to increase the risk of sinusitis, cavities and tooth decay. The more you use tobacco products, the more likely you will develop a dry mouth and bad breath.

A yeast infection, known as Thrush, can also cause dry mouth and other health conditions. Candida, often found in unhealthy conditions, can grow uncontrollably in warm, moist places such as the mouth and under the tongue. A yeast infection often develops when there is an imbalance of bacteria in the body.

Other causes of dry mouth or bad breath include dental problems (including loosening of tooth enamel), sinus conditions, sinus congestion, respiratory infections (such as bronchitis), food allergies (including milk and soy products), and vitamin deficiencies. If you have any of these symptoms, you should see your health care provider immediately. They can prescribe an over-the-counter or home remedy to help alleviate your symptoms. They may also refer you to a herbalist or natural health care practitioner who can provide additional advice or even provide a prescription for relief.

4. Excessive Saliva Production

Other causes of dry mouth include certain drugs, including diuretics, antihistamines, antidepressants and sodium chloride solutions. It is not a common side effect, but it can happen. If you have these medications, be sure to keep tabs on your fluid intake after taking them. Another drug that can cause dry mouth is oral sex, especially if you ejaculate quickly after the act.

Nighttime Dry Mouth

A dry mouth might seem like an annoying thing that happens at night from time to time. But if it occurs regularly, it needs to be treated. Left untreated, it can affect various things, including eating, speaking, and your general oral health.

Dry mouth saliva is necessary for tooth and gum health, and enzymes in saliva help aid in digestion. If your mouth is dry throughout the night, your oral health might be affected without you even knowing it.

Symptoms of persistent dry mouth at night can include:

• Thick or stringy saliva
• Bad Breath
• Changes in your sense of taste
• Issues while wearing dentures
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Sore Throat
• List Element
• Grooved tongue

If there isn’t enough saliva, there can be an increase in plaque in the mouth and thrush and mouth sores.

Home remedies for dry mouth

One of the most common home remedies for xerostomia is using xylitol gum. Xylitol is an all-natural ingredient found in fresh fruits and has been shown to promote saliva production in your body. The bacteria which cause tooth decay and oral Thrush do not thrive in an acidic environment. By increasing the acidity of your saliva, xylitol provides immediate relief from symptoms.

It is very important to maintain proper oral hygiene. Proper brushing after every meal and flossing the teeth at least twice a day can help prevent dry mouth caused by cavities, periodontal disease, or fungal infections of the gums. Poor oral hygiene leads to cavities and other problems. There are some good home remedies for bad breath. First of all, it is important to drink plenty of water, particularly if you have not been taking liquids for a while. If you become dehydrated, this can also lead to chronic dry mouth because the body is not eliminating moisture properly, producing more saliva to wash away the moisture. Explore natural remedies for gum disease and loose teeth to enhance your oral care routine and promote overall dental health.

Treat Dry Mouth with medication

Treating Dry Mouth with medications such as antibiotics and certain prescription and over-the-counter medications can also result in dry mouth due to reducing saliva production. If you take sedatives regularly, it can also decrease your saliva production and worsen the condition. Some medications have the opposite effect. For instance, medications used to treat hypertension often result in increased saliva production, increasing comfort and decreasing pain. However, other over-the-counter and prescription medications can have the opposite effect, increasing pain and decreasing comfort.

Certain types of medications, including corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory medications, bronchodilators, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, medicines intended to treat allergies, asthma medications, quinidine and sodium chloride solutions, especially those intended to treat ailments of the lungs, are used to treat dry mouth. In addition, medicines meant to relieve congestion, such as mucus solutions, are also known to affect saliva production. These medicines include antihistamines, bronchodilators, decongestants and other inhaling drugs.

If you were experiencing dry mouth due to taking any of these medications, consult with your physician to see if your medication is causing the problem.

If you don’t mind consuming lots of liquids, chewing gum or using a saltwater gargle to eliminate the need to chew your food is a good alternative. These are effective ways to reduce dry mouth caused by keeping your saliva flowing throughout the day. Saliva is the one thing that helps to break down and absorb nutrients in your mouth, so the less saliva produced, the fewer nutrients your body receives. It is therefore important to keep the salivary flow going as much as possible.

Prevention

A dry mouth is common and can often be prevented. Try some of the following prevention measures:

• Drink 2 qt (2 L) of water a day. It is the same as eight 8 fl oz (250 mL) glasses of water.
• Use a humidifier in your home, especially in the bedroom.
• Breathe through your nose rather than through your mouth.
• Do not take medicines that cause a dry mouth. These include diuretics, antihistamines, and decongestants. Your doctor can help you find a different medicine.
• Avoid caffeinated beverages, tobacco, and alcohol, all of which increase dryness in your mouth.