Try: Dry mouth or xerostomia is a reduction of saliva production it is a common problem and it is important not to ignore a dry mouth dry mouth is not a disease but it may be a symptom of various medical conditions a side effect of a radiation to the head and neck or a side effect of a wide variety of medications the average healthy adult produces about three pints of saliva in 24 hours this secretion serves many purposes saliva is important in the digestive process of breaking foods down for absorption and use by the body saliva washes away food and plaque from the teeth and helps prevent tooth decay saliva also limits bacterial growth that can dissolve tooth enamel or lead to mouth infections saliva neutralizes damaging acids in the mouth enhances the ability to taste food and makes it easier to swallow dry mouth is a common complaint among older adults affecting about 20 of the elderly mouth dryness may be due in part to the effects of aging as people age the salivary glands may secrete less saliva common causes dry mouth may be caused by medications such as antihypertensives antidepressants analgesics tranquilizers diuretics chemotherapy and antihistamines dry mouth may also be caused by other health conditions such as bone marrow transplants endocrine disorders stress depression nerve damage to the neck or face areas and sjogren sjogren’s syndrome an autoimmune disease also radiation treatment that is focused on or near the salivary gland can temporarily or permanently damage the salivary glands treatment and prevention methods to reduce mouth dryness include hydration drinking plenty of fluids such as water and sucking on sugar-free lozenges which can stimulate the production of saliva saliva flow can be improved or prevented by sucking on sugar-free hard candy or chewing sugar-free gum it is best to avoid acidic foods or hard candies because they make saliva acidic increasing the possibility of tooth decay it is also a good idea to avoid sugary foods and candies because they increase the risk of tooth decay as well if the individual smokes or chews tobacco quitting will reduce symptoms of dry mouth individuals may also sip water regularly; try over-the-counter saliva substitutes; and avoid drinks with caffeine such as coffee tea and some sodas caffeine can dry out the mouth it is best to breathe through the nose not the mouth and add moisture to the air at night with a room humidifier drinking plenty of water is highly recommended at least six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily should be consumed to prevent symptoms of dehydration such as dry mouth information references chambers ms rosenthal di and weber rs 2007 "radiation-induced xerostomia " head neck 29 1 pages 58-63 dirix p nuyts s and van den bogaert w 2006 "radiation-induced xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer a literature review " cancer 107 11 pages 2525-34 gupta a epstein jb and sroussi h 2006 "hyposalivation in elderly patients " j can dent assoc 72 9 pages 841-6 madani g and beale t 2006 "inflammatory conditions of the salivary glands " semin ultrasound ct mr 27 6 pages 440-51 urquhart d and fowler ce 2006 "review of the use of polymers in saliva substitutes for symptomatic relief of xerostomia " j clin dent 17 2 pages 29-33
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Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical
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Keywords: Mouth teeth dry mouth hydration
*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed