Dry mouth is caused by a lack of saliva in the mouth. This can lead to discomfort, bad breath, and more serious secondary health concerns. There are various reasons that you might experience dry mouth. No matter what the cause of dry mouth, you need to speak with your doctor about this issue. You can suffer from more serious health issues if you do not get supportive care for this condition.
The symptoms of dry mouth are:
There are a variety of reasons that you might experience dry mouth. Often, the causes of this condition are the same as the risk factors related to experiencing it. You will be more likely to have dry mouth if you smoke, have allergies, or have certain health conditions.
Diagnosis of dry mouth is often based solely upon reports of dry mouth symptoms by patients. Your doctor might also examine your mouth and look for signs that your dry mouth is causing damage to the lips, teeth, or tongue. Saliva tests can also be done by rolling out the lower lip and patting it dry, then seeing how long it takes for saliva to form to moisten the lip again.
The treatment of dry mouth depends upon the root cause of the problem. Usually, a combination of treatments must be used. Medical conditions are often at the root of dry mouth, and new management protocols might be applied to support existing health conditions. You will need to prevent tooth decay through increased tooth brushing and fluoride supplementation. You might also be provided a medication like Evoxac, which has been shown to increase the flow of saliva to the mouth.
Prevention of dry mouth might not be possible. This is commonly a condition that is secondary to other health problems. You will need to be sure that you support the health of your mouth through proper dental care and by quitting smoking. You can use moisturisers for your lips, and you will need to make sure that you limit your intake of spicy or acidic foods, as these can irritate dry tissues in your mouth.