Why does it dry in my mouth and how to deal with it?

Saliva moisturizes and cleans the mouth, preventing the development of bacterial and fungal infections. When the body produces an insufficient amount of saliva, a person begins to experience very unpleasant sensations, which doctors call xerostomia. In simple words, it is an unhealthy condition when a person constantly or periodically dries in the mouth. If you do not find out the cause of xerostomia in time, it can introduce various inconveniences to a person's everyday life - bad breath, speech and swallowing problems. Often the deficit of salivation is accompanied by such diseases of the mouth as dental caries, gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and candidiasis (thrush of the oral cavity).

SYMPTOMS OF XEROSTRY

Unhealthy dryness in the mouth is most often characterized by the following symptoms:

1. People almost always want to drink.

2. Lips crack, dries heavily in the mouth and throat, and the tongue is covered with a sticky coating.

3. There are small abscesses and wounds in the mouth, corners of the lips and tongue.

4. There is a slight burning sensation in the mouth.

5. It becomes difficult to chew food, swallow and even talk.

6. Bad breath from the mouth, from which neither mint paste nor chewing gum saves.

WHY DRIES IN MOUTH?

Unhealthy dryness of the mouth can be a consequence of:

1. Side effect of painkillers and heavy medications that are used in the treatment of depression, allergies, epilepsy, diarrhea, asthma and a number of other diseases. Here you can include some sedative drugs and muscle relaxants.

2. The development of any disease or infection (Sjogren's syndrome, HIV, AIDS, diabetes, anemia, hypertension, stroke, mumps, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's).

3. Medical intervention (removal of salivary glands or chemotherapy).

4. Damage to nervous tissues.

5. Abuse of tobacco products.

6. Dehydration due to profuse sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of blood and burns.

WHAT TO DO IF I DRY IN MOUTH?

If you are sure that the dryness of the mouth is caused by medical drugs or illnesses, it is best to consult a doctor. If everything is not so deplorable, then you can try to eliminate the cause of your mouth dry by yourself. To restore healthy salivation, you need:

1. Eat more unsweetened fruit or chew gum without sugar.

2. Drink plenty of water to maintain a normal level of moisture in the mouth.

3. If possible, breathe through the nose.

4. Do not abuse salty, sweet and dry food (crackers, cookies, crackers, dried fruits).

5. Use artificial solutions that replace natural saliva. Most of them can be bought in any large pharmacy without a doctor's prescription.

6. If possible, reduce the amount of consumed coffee, alcoholic beverages and fruit juices with a high content of acid (apple, orange, grape, grapefruit, tomato).

7. Use a gentle toothpaste and every time before and after meals rinse your mouth with clean water or a mild solution of salt and baking soda.

Some experts advise using toothpastes and mouthwash containing fluoride. However, in recent years, the question is often raised that this substance does more harm to the teeth than good. Therefore, it will never be superfluous to consult a dentist about the correct treatment of xerostomia.