How to prevent dry mouth?

People with Sjogren’s Syndrome must not only deal with dry eye but often with dry mouth.

How to prevent mouth dryness ?

Dryness is defined as an abnormal reduction in saliva giving a mouth dryness sensation. The medical term used for dry mouth is xerostomia.

How important is saliva in our mouth?

Saliva is produced by the salivary glands and has several functions. Indeed, saliva is very important for lubricating and cleaning the mouth and tongue. It also prevents oral infections by reducing the number of bacteria and fungi. In addition, it helps digest food by making it softer and facilitates the perception of taste.

What causes dry mouth?

There are several causes for mouth dryness. Here are some of the most frequently encountered:

Medications

Several medications can cause dry mouth, especially those used against depression, colds, flu, allergies, high blood pressure and urinary incontinence. Taking several drugs increases the risk of mouth dryness.

Age

Seniors are more likely to suffer from mouth dryness, as saliva production decreases with age. In addition, these people often take more drugs, which, as mentioned earlier, can be a major cause of dry mouth.

Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome, dry eye but also mouth dryness

This is a dysregulation of the immune system that affects the lacrimal glands and salivary glands. People with this syndrome often have dry eyes in conjunction with mouth dryness.

There are several ways to relieve dry eye associated with Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome. For more information, read our specific articles.

Cancer and its treatments

People with cancer in the head or neck often suffer from dry mouth. In addition, radiotherapy and chemotherapy affects salivary glands and reduce saliva production.

Smoking

Smoking (including tobacco chewing) results in decreased saliva production and drying of the mouth.

Dehydration

Mouth dryness may occur in a person with dehydration, including fever, excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of blood or burning.

What are the treatments for dry mouth?

To treat dry mouth, the cause must first be established and, if possible, eliminated. When medications are causing the problem, your doctor may replace them with medications causing less mouth dryness. It is important to always consult your doctor or pharmacist before changing your medication.

There are saliva substitutes (Biotene for example) that moisturize the mouth and thus relieve mouth dryness. Different formulations are offered, among others in the form of gel or liquid. These products provide quick but temporary relief from dry mouth. It may also be beneficial to use toothpastes and mouthwashes formulated to reduce mouth dryness symptoms. In some cases, it is also possible to take a medication that increases saliva production.

** Although this site focuses on dry eye, we have chosen to share this information about dry mouth because many people with dry eye symptoms also suffer from dry mouth **