Important Information About Dry Mouth
Saturday, July 16th, 2011The condition known as dry mouth is one of those medical issues that many people consider just an irritation. The problem is that when the mouth doesn’t have enough saliva, there is more than just the taste of food at stake. This condition also reduces healthy bacteria, which can lead to increased rates of dental decay, problems with normal swallowing, and digestive difficulties. When someone suffers from this ailment, they need to learn about the causes, the potential damage, and particular treatments that are available.
The root causes
Among doctors, the condition is known as xerostomia. It is often seen in patients who take various kinds of medications, and is widely recognized as one of the most common side effects of certain drugs. It can also result from various cancer treatments, and is often experienced by older people who take many medications. In addition, smokers and those who drink caffeine commonly experience it as well.
The symptoms of this disorder can be even more distressing than tooth decay. Without saliva, humans are far more susceptible to infestations of mouth fungi, pain and redness in the throat. In addition, dry and chapped lips are more common, and other conditions can appear when treatment is not provided.
Medical treatments
In most cases, the first approach taken by doctors is to change any medications that are being taken, or to modify the dosages so that the side effects can be lessened. If those side effects persist or if the problem is being caused by something else, physicians will often prescribe various saliva-producing drugs to counteract the effect. In many instances, these simple changes are enough to correct the problem.
The home options
There are also many home remedies that can help to ease the suffering caused by this condition. Among them are such simple things as chewing gum, especially gum without sugar additives. Other people suck ice chips in an attempt to ensure that their mouths and throats remain moist, or use various spices like ginger that tend to help in saliva production.
There are also changes that can be made in the patient’s overall lifestyle to decrease the risk for the condition. Most people should stop using tobacco, drastically reduce the consumption of caffeine products, and use humidifiers to provide more moisture in the room during the night hours.
Healthy teeth
Obviously, the dangers to dental integrity have to be avoided wherever possible. Dentists always advice their patients to use fluoride when brushing, and to avoid mouthwash that contains alcohol. For severe cases, dentists will often provide their patients with fluoride tooth dental coverings that can be worn while sleeping.
Patients should not panic when they discover that they have xerostomia. The fact is that most cases can be effectively eliminated with simple changes. Those that cannot be eliminated can at least be treated so that the effects are dramatically reduced. To do so, however, requires timely intervention by competent medical professionals. As a result, patients who experience the symptoms of dry mouth should consult their doctors immediately.
Biotene provides a range of oral hygiene products to help relieve the symptoms of the common issue of Xerostomia. If you have sorenss and/or redness in the mouth, trouble speaking or other symptom speak to your healthcare professional to learn more.
