Saliva helps to keep the mouth moist and also helps in the digestion of food. The balance of bacteria and fungi inside the mouth is also regulated by the saliva. When the salivary glands do not produce adequate saliva, the mouth becomes dry, resulting in discomfort.
Dryness in the mouth can be caused by various factors. Many medications are known to result in a dry mouth. These include drugs for anxiety, depression, allergies, colds and pain. Sedatives and muscle relaxants could also result in side effects like mouth dryness. Certain medical conditions could also cause dryness of the mouth. Individuals affected with Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, hypertension, mumps and stroke may sometimes experience dryness in the mouth. A dry mouth may be caused when the functioning of the salivary glands gets hampered. This can sometimes occur due to medical treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy. Damage to the nerves in the neck and head region due to trauma or surgery can also lead to dryness in the mouth. A person may experience a dry mouth even due to dehydration. Some conditions that result in dehydration include increased sweating, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, burns and loss of blood. In some cases, surgical removal of the salivary glands may become necessary and dryness of the mouth is bound to result following this. Another common cause of a dry mouth is prolonged use of tobacco products such as smoking or chewing tobacco. Breathing through the mouth for prolonged periods of time can also contribute to mouth dryness.
Besides the obvious dryness inside the mouth, this condition can also result in some other symptoms such as excessive thirst, burning or tingling on the tongue, redness of the tongue, soreness in the throat, hoarseness and bad breath. In case the condition is being caused by the intake of certain medicines or due to an underlying health problem, discontinuing the use of those medications or treating the problem will help to get rid of the dryness. You could also use an oral rinse to promote moisture in the mouth. Also drink plenty of water so that the mouth remains moist. Sucking on some sugar free gum or candy is also known to help in alleviating this condition. Avoid breathing through your mouth and use a vaporizer in the room to induce moisture into the air. There are also artificial saliva substitutes available in pharmacies which help to treat this condition. However, it is advisable to speak with your doctor first before using these.