What Are The Causes Of Dry Mouth?

An image of a person having dry mouth

Saliva isn’t the only cause of dry mouth. There are other causes you need to be aware of to avoid the feeling of dehydration attributing to dry mouth.

When your saliva production is low, you will begin to experience the following causes and symptoms to your oral health:

  • Mouth feels dry
  • Chewing and swallowing difficulties
  • Halitosis (bad breath)
  • Dry tongue and throat
  • Bacteria and plaque build-up

An image of saliva

If you experience the following signs, this means you have a dry mouth and your saliva levels are low. You will need to ensure that you create adequate lifestyle changes.

What Are Other Causes Of Dry Mouth?

Low saliva levels aren’t just the only cause of dry mouth, there are other causes too:

  • Consuming Alcohol – Drinking alcohol heightens dry mouth symptoms because it thickens the saliva mucus. This means making it difficult in keeping your mouth clean and digesting food.
  • Smoking – Although smoking can be difficult, it creates the perfect environment for bacteria to grow in your mouth.
  • Over-The-Counter Drugs – Dry mouth is a side effect of pain medication. You’re likely to see dry mouth as a side effect of blood pressure, antihistamines, antidepressants.
  • Aging – As humans get older, dry mouth is a natural symptom. As time goes on, it is important that you change your lifestyle and diet to include moist food and drinks to reduce the effects of dry mouth. Fruits, water, broths, and boiled foods are great examples.

An image of fluoride toothpaste for dry mouth

How You Can Control Dry Mouth

You can perform the following home remedies to control dry mouth:

  • Drink More Water – Water is the best form of liquid to keep yourself hydrated and reduce dry mouth and dehydration. Learn about its benefits here.
  • Eat More Fruit and Vegetables – Fruit and vegetables are a great source of saliva production. They are also healthy for your teeth and gums too.
  • Reduce Sugar – A key symptom of dry mouth is diabetes, and if your glucose levels are high, this will trigger diabetes.
  • Look After Your Oral Health – Look after your teeth and gums because those who don’t experience dry mouth quicker. Brush and floss your teeth twice a day and keep your mouth clean after eating a meal. You may also consider fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash.

You can seek further support from our dentists at Simply Dental Chatswood today. Book yourself in for an appointment with us today by clicking here!

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