My Mouth Always Feels Dry! What Can I Do?

Having a dry mouth is an extremely uncomfortable feeling. Excessive drying of your mouth makes it difficult for you to swallow, speak, and even breath at times. Dry mouth – a condition medically referred to as Xerostomia – occurs when your salivary glands do not produce enough saliva to keep the oral cavity moistened. There are many and varied reasons for these conditions to occur, with dehydration being one of the top reasons.

You need saliva to break down the bacteria in your mouth. Prolonged dry mouth can lead to serious dental conditions that may require IV sedation in Calgary and lengthy treatment procedures. This is why it is essential that you recognize what causes you to have a dry mouth and treat it accordingly. If you have been wondering why your mouth always feels dry even if you keep yourself hydrated, this article will give you some insight. We have also added a few practical remedies that can relieve the discomfort of having a dry mouth at the end of this article.

Dehydration

Dehydration is the most common reason for having a dry mouth, and the most easily treated. It occurs when you do not drink a sufficient amount of water in a day. While you may skip out on drinking enough water sometimes, if you continue not to supply your body with a sufficient amount of water, it will lead to conditions far worse than dry mouth. Other signs of dehydration of the body include dry and flaky skin and exhaustion. Luckily, you can remedy this very quickly. Drink water as soon as you can when you feel like your mouth is becoming dry.

Smoking

There is a lengthy list of ways smoking can negatively affect one’s body, and dry mouth is one of them. Tobacco tends to reduce saliva production in the mouth, which leads to dryness. Your dentist in SW Calgary may also remind you that prolonged use of tobacco products and smoking increases the risk of far more dangerous conditions such as gum disease and lung cancer. Therefore, if you are experiencing frequent dry mouth problems, the best way to approach it is to stop smoking until your oral cavity returns back to normal at the very least. If you do smoke, remember to keep yourself and your mouth extra hydrated at all times.

Autoimmune Diseases

One of the more challenging causes of a dry mouth to treat is an autoimmune disease. If you do not fall under the category of any of the other reasons listed here and keep yourself well hydrated, but still experience dry mouth, you may have to consider this possibility.

Sjogren’s syndrome is the most common autoimmune disease that directly attacks the glands that make fluids like tears and saliva. Having dry eyes and dry mouth are two of the most common symptoms of this disease. Other autoimmune diseases like Lupus and Arthritis also cause dry mouth. If you have this condition, your doctor might suggest a sugar-free chewing gum product to induce saliva production.

Medications

Dry mouth is one of the most popular side effects of many medications out there. Widely used medication categories such as antihistamines and medications prescribed to treat depression and ADHD cause dry mouth. The reason for this is because the medications affect the blood vessels – constricting them. Many people have experienced severe dry mouth after taking an antihistamine medication to treat common cold and phlegm. Many illegal drug varieties such as methamphetamine also cause dry mouth for the same reason, as they rapidly constrict blood vessels.

Snoring and Sleeping Issues

If you are a mouth breather while sleeping, having a severally dry mouth when you wake up is likely a regular experience then. This happens if you are a loud snorer while sleeping too. However, if you tend to wake up with a dry mouth every single day, it is better if you treat it since it can turn into a more serious problem with time. There are sleep specialists who will check your condition and give you the needed guidance and medication to have a good night’s sleep, without the discomfort of a dry mouth when you wake up.

Quick Remedies for Dry Mouth.

-    Drink water.

-    Eat food with high fluid content. 

-    Chew sugar-free gum.

-    Check with your physician about changing the medication that causes dry mouth or visit your dental clinic in SW Calgary.