Dry mouth is a condition where the salivary glands in your mouth don’t create enough saliva to keep your mouth moist. Saliva helps to prevent tooth decay by neutralizing the acids produced by bacteria in your mouth. Saliva also helps digestion by softening food and adding enzymes. For help finding a local dental professional, search for a dentist near you.
Common Symptoms Of Dry Mouth
If you’re not producing enough saliva, you may notice these signs and symptoms all or most of the time:
- A feeling of dryness or stickiness in your mouth
- Thick or stringy saliva
- Bad breath
- Difficulty chewing, speaking and swallowing
- Sore throat or hoarseness
- Problems wearing dentures
- A change in your sense of taste.
If you suffer from these symptoms regularly, it is important to schedule a checkup with your dentist to confirm the cause of the issue. Dry mouth is not usually a cause for concern but can also be a symptom of more serious issues, like a vitamin deficiency.
Common Causes Of Dry Mouth
In most cases, the causes of dry mouth are old age, medication or dehydration. Smoking and other tobacco use can also cause dry mouth.
How Can I Stop And Prevent Dry Mouth?
There are many simple remedies for addressing the symptom of dry mouth. Those include:
- Chewing sugar free gum
- Limiting your caffeine intake
- Stopping tobacco use
- Limit mouthwashes containing alcohol
- Sip water regularly
- Look for over-the-counter saliva substitutes that contain xylitol.
Who Treats Dry Mouth?
Typically, your general dentist can treat the causes of dry mouth. To find a dental office near you, visit our locations page.