Dry mouth is a condition when there is insufficient saliva in your mouth. This is often caused by an issue with your saliva glands. If they fail to produce enough saliva then your mouth will constantly feel dry.
This feeling can increase your liquid consumption as you feel the need to drink more often. Damage to the saliva glands is often a result of medications, aging, or cancer treatment. Once the glands are damaged they are unlikely to heal fully, resulting in permanent dry mouth. However, in many cases, the dry mouth is temporary and can be remedied by changing your medications.
Why Dry Mouth Is An Issue
Saliva keeps your mouth wet and washes away bacteria. As bacteria mix with food debris to create acid that attacks teeth, having a dry mouth will increase the likelihood of tooth decay and bad oral health.
It can also lead to mouth sores, a yeast infection in your mouth, split skin, and low nutrient levels as you’ll have less interest in eating and your body won’t get the nutrients it needs.
If you think you have a dry mouth you need to speak to a reputable Alexandria dentist and get the condition diagnosed to help you take preventative steps.
The following 5 natural remedies can help:
- Drinking Water
Water is essential to the hydration of your body. Water is in every cell of your body and facilitates the flow of nutrients into cells and waste products out. Staying hydrated is a good thing and it will help to maintain moisture levels in your mouth.
All you have to do is keep a bottle or glass with you and sip the water every 5-10 minutes. It will help.
- Sugar-Free Gum
Chewing anything encourages your saliva glands to produce saliva, this is in preparation to soften food for digestion. By chewing on sugar-free gum you’ll be encouraging your glands to work, keeping your mouth moist without endangering the enamel on your teeth.
- Breath Through Your Nose
If you breathe through your mouth then the constant airflow will absorb the moisture in your mouth, leaving it feeling dry. This is a particular issue if you already have a dry mouth. Try to breathe in through your nose and out the same way, it will help your mouth.
- Alcohol-Free Mouthwash
Mouthwash is good at keeping the bacteria away and removing food debris. It can help to protect your teeth and, if you use an alcohol-free mouthwash, you’ll find it helps to moisten your mouth. The effect will slowly subside but it does help!
- Stop Dehydrating
Drinking alcohol and coffee causes dehydration, as does smoking, drug-taking, and various other bad habits. Being dehydrated reduces the amount of saliva your glands can produce. To prevent this causing dry mouth make sure you stay hydrated and avoid dehydrating habits.
Dry mouth can be a nuisance. But, with a few simple steps and the help of a good dentist, the issues can usually be resolved, allowing you to enjoy food again and protect your teeth. Should this problem persist, be sure to consult a professional Dentist in sacramento immediately.