How to Treat Dry Mouth at Home
Are you constantly thirsty? Is your mouth so dry that you find it difficult to swallow? Do you deal with tooth sensitivity or bad breath on a daily basis? These are all signs of xerostomia, or dry mouth, a condition caused by decreased saliva production. Make an appointment at Evanson DDS to discuss your symptoms—whether mild or severe—and we’ll help you seek the right treatment options to combat them.
In the meantime, here are some ways to treat dry mouth at home.
Make Lifestyle Changes
Just a few modifications to your routine can make a big difference. Here are the first tips you should try:
- Drink more water: If your mouth feels dried out, drinking good old H2O is the fastest remedy. This is doubly true if you have become dehydrated from drinking alcohol. Red wine, in particular, is known to pull moisture from your mouth, so you may want to avoid this beverage if you have xerostomia.
- Breathe through your nose: This simple tip prevents air from flowing in and out of your mouth to keep from drying it out even more.
Wear lip balm: Chapped lips are one symptom of dry mouth. You can find tremendous relief simply by applying lip balm when you feel like you need it.- Chew sugarless gum: Chewing gum stimulates saliva production. Just be sure to select a sugarless variety to avoid feeding the bacteria in your mouth their favorite food. Sucking on sugarless candy, such as the type sweetened with xylitol, is another good option.
- Run a humidifier when you sleep: By increasing the moisture content in the air, your mouth becomes less dried out as you sleep. It’s especially important to run a humidifier in the winter when the air is cold and dry.
- Look in your medicine cabinet: More than 90 percent of all dry mouth cases find their origins in your medicine cabinet. A whopping 400 different medications have been tied to dry mouth. If you suspect this might be causing your symptoms, talk to your doctor about switching to another drug.
Use Commercial Products for Dry Mouth
If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, look into over-the-counter and prescription products designed to help combat dry mouth symptoms. These include:
- Rinses and toothpastes: Some products specifically help fight dry mouth, but simply using a fluoride rinse and toothpaste every day helps prevent tooth decay and cavities that may result from xerostomia.
- Saliva-replacement lozenges or sprays: Over-the-counter products that substitute your saliva can be incredibly effective for combating dry mouth symptoms.
- Leave-in discs for when you go to sleep: For some people, xerostomia is worst at night. Special leave-in discs are available over the counter that you just pop into your mouth when you go to bed. This helps you sleep all night without waking up with a sore throat or other symptoms.
- Prescription drugs: If your salivary glands don’t function properly because of cancer treatments or an underlying medical condition, your doctor can prescribe medicine to counteract the effects.
Know What to Avoid
Some products and foods trigger worse symptoms because they have a drying effect. Here’s what you should avoid if you have dry mouth:
- Alcohol-based mouthwash
- Salty food
- Citrus juice
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Cigarettes
Consult Dr. Evanson About Your Dry Mouth Symptoms
There’s no substitute for regular dental checkups and good oral hygiene, so remember to keep up with these tasks as you strive to stave off symptoms of dry mouth. Diagnosing your condition early is also important for ensuring you receive the treatments you need, so speak with Dr. Evanson about your situation today. We may be able to suggest specific lifestyle changes and commercial products that we think will help your symptoms the most.
Call our Parker office today at (720) 409-0008 or contact us online if you’re experiencing symptoms of dry mouth. Our team can answer any questions you have and help schedule your appointment.
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