We all need saliva to moisten and cleanse our mouths and digest food. Saliva also prevents infection by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. When we don’t produce enough saliva, our mouth gets dry and uncomfortable. It’s a problem that can kill your appetite, crimp your social life, even cause cavities, but it’s not talked about much – perhaps because its sufferers also find it hard to speak. The problem is dry mouth, an all too common condition among older adults that can result in rampant tooth decay if gone unchecked. Seniors are particularly prone because many of the medications they take, including drugs to control hypertension and depression, dry out the mouth. Dry mouth can also be a side effect of antihistamines, decongestants, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and conditions like Parkinson’s and diabetes.
Those afflicted may experience a constant sore throat, dry nasal passages, a loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing and speaking, and, ultimately, dental decay. That’s because saliva, in addition to lubricating the mouth, also helps rinse away and neutralize the bacteria and acids that lead to cavities. Sufferers seeking relief may unknowingly compound the problem by sucking on sugary hard candies that can contribute to cavities.
Older adults often are unaware of their dental needs. Many believe, for example, that because they saw a dentist regularly during their working years, they don’t need to see one now. Some assume they’re going to lose their teeth anyway. The truth is, thanks to improved dental care, most people over the age of 65 still have most of their natural teeth.
The medical term for dry mouth is xerostomia, and it is a condition which occurs when the production of saliva sharply decreases or stops altogether. Saliva is the clear, watery solution which is present in the mouth at all times, and its function is to lubricate the mouth so that we can speak and taste our food. It also aids in preventing tooth decay as it washes away food and plaque from the surface of the teeth.
People who suffer from dry mouth are at increased risk of tooth decay, gum disease and a range of other illnesses affecting the soft tissues of the mouth. The diet may also be severely affected because food cannot be tasted as it normally would. With the help of oraMD all natural health products, you can keep away from having dry mouth or even more chronic mouth diseases.
The condition of not having enough saliva to keep the mouth wet. This is due to inadequate function of the salivary glands. Everyone has dry mouth once in a while when they are nervous, upset or under stress. But if someone has a dry mouth most all of the time, it can be uncomfortable and lead to serious health problems. Most cases of dry mouth are caused by failure of the salivary glands to function properly. Dry mouth also is a common side effect of some medications and medical treatments. But in some people, the sensation of a dry mouth occurs even though their salivary glands are normal.
Dry mouth is a significant health problem because it can affect nutrition and psychological well-being, while also contributing to tooth decay and other mouth infections. Dry mouth also may signal more serious problems in the body. One reason dry mouth interferes with healthful eating is that the parched, crusty, and sensitive conditions it creates can hamper the ability to tolerate spicy or acidic foods. Imagine how the juice of an orange, for example, might sting the sores that often develop in dry areas inside the mouth. Other foods, such as breads, cereals, and some fruits and vegetables, also can be difficult to chew and swallow because of a lack of saliva to moisten them.
Finally, people with dry mouth often perceive the taste and quality of their food to be poor in general, which can curb their appetite and blunt overall interest in eating. This secretion serves many purposes. It helps prevent tooth decay and washes away food and plaque from your teeth. Saliva also limits bacterial growth that can dissolve tooth enamel or lead to mouth infections. It also neutralizes damaging acids in your mouth. Saliva enhances your ability to taste your food and makes it easier to swallow.
Dry mouth, medically known as xerostomia, this is a condition when the mouth runs out of saliva. Saliva is one of the most important requirements of the mouth to keep the mouth from getting dry. Every one may suffer from temporary bouts of dry mouth; generally this happens when one panics, or when one is terribly frightened. But when you have this condition permanently this develops as a serious problem and can develop into health related problems. Don’t let this ruin your whole life, the new and highly effective oraMD all natural products will answer all your fears and worries about having dry mouth and other mouth diseases.
Saliva has a number of other functions than keeping the mouth wet; it is acting as a lubricant while you hold a conversation, while chewing food, and as a lubricant while swallowing food. It protects your teeth from decay by keeping them in a protected condition. The plaque that is being formed on the surface is being continuously being washed away from the surface of the teeth by saliva. Any healthy individual produces about three to four pints of saliva in a day. Saliva acts as a natural disinfectant and prevents common infections from taking place in your mouth. Without saliva you will not get the nutrients required to help you digest the food required for your body.
Dry mouth has got nothing to do with aging, though due to aging less saliva is being produced by the body. Every healthy individual has to produce the minimum required amount of saliva. The dry mouth may due to some medications that you are taking to suppress some other symptoms. Dry mouth often results in tooth decay faster than an average person. Remember to brush your mouth regularly and avoid sweeteners in your food or tit bits that you consume. Make a dental appointment and consult your dentist about the status of your teeth. Smoking can decrease saliva production and should be considered when determining what causes your dry mouth. Chewing tobacco can also have the same effect. Therefore, decreasing or quitting smoking can reduce or eradicate dry mouth for some sufferers. Alcoholic beverages and products containing caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks, etc.) can also cause dry mouth through dehydration. Breathing through the mouth for prolonged periods (especially while sleeping) can exacerbate a problem with dry mouth.
Dry mouth or lack of saliva can cause various complications. Because swallowing becomes very difficult, sufferers may often ‘choke’ as food flows down the esophagus and may constantly need to drink water while eating. Because saliva aids in proper digestion, digestive disorders can arise as a result of chronic dry mouth. Eating dry foods becomes almost impossible. Since saliva controls the bacteria and fungi in your mouth, dry mouth can significantly increase chances of tooth decay and infection in mouth – leading to other complications. In some cases, dry mouth can also be a sign of serious health problems and diseases. Speaking to your doctor about dry mouth is always recommended. With the help of OraMd you can overcome dry mouth because it seeps down between gumline and tooth and does not allow the gums to dry out.
The dental term “xerostomia” means dryness of the mouth due to a decreased function of the glands that produce saliva. Lack of saliva is a common problem that may seem little more bothering, but a dry mouth can affect both your enjoyment of food and the health of your teeth. That’s why it’s important not to ignore a dry mouth. With a reduced flow of saliva it is very difficult to chew, swallow and digest food properly because saliva aids all of these processes. Taking big bites of food is also not easy for people with dry mouth and difficulty in chewing makes it difficult for the body to extract sufficient nutrients from food. It is very difficult to wear dentures when experiencing dry mouth. Also, when saliva in the mouth is not secreted in sufficient quantity, it becomes much thicker, causing discomfort and further exacerbating symptoms.
Another serious repercussion of dry mouth is impeded speech. With reduced saliva in the mouth, pronouncing words becomes difficult. People who have dry mouth and difficulty speaking, cannot simply ‘swallow’ and start talking normally. Liquid of some sort is always necessary before ‘speaking easy’ is possible. In such cases, constant liquids are required for normal conversations. In some way dry mouth is very challenging also. Specific foods that help with obesity issues or blood pressure may not be easily consumed, exacerbating symptoms. An increase in cavities and the inability to quickly heal sores of the mouth are other complications. As mentioned above, dry mouth can also cause the person to be vulnerable to various infections as the protective layer of saliva is no longer present. Treating dry mouth is not always easy if you don’t know the cause.
Depending on what is causing your dry mouth, there are a variety of dry mouth treatments including various daily routines and enzyme based products. People who suffer from dry mouth should try various dry mouth treatments to find out which is more effective for them. If you are unsure what is causing your dry mouth, please read our article on dry mouth causes and symptoms for more information. Again, knowing how to get rid of dry mouth can be dependent on what is causing your dry mouth. If your dry mouth is directly related to medication side effects, it is important that you speak to your doctor. He or she may be able to change the medication you are using or the dosage you are taking, thereby preventing dry mouth.
There are also products available for treating dry mouth and its symptoms, usually for periods of a couple hours at a time. One such product, OraMD a 100% all natural oil essentials that leaves your mouth fresh and clean, an essential aid in preventing dry mouth.
It’s a simple fact that having a dry mouth causes bad breath. It is probably not immediately obvious to many of us why this should be so, but the explanation makes sense when you think about it. Our mouths are being constantly bathed by saliva. It keeps the tissues moist and contains antibodies and enzymes that help fight off infection. It plays a key role in controlling the population of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in our mouths.
There are billions of bacteria living in our mouths – and before you rush for the antiseptic mouthwash, you should know that they are meant to be there. In most cases, they do no harm at all and even assist in breaking down food particles and preventing infection. Having a dry mouth causes some bacteria to do better, and others to do poorly. To make matters worse, among the causes of dry mouth are things that actually provide nutrients for an undesirable group of bacteria – the ones that cause bad breath.
What are the causes of dry mouth? Well, first, there are things that decrease saliva flow. Sleep is one. Advancing age is another. Many drugs cause a decrease in saliva production as a side effect, as do alcohol and coffee, and of course, some medical conditions are dry mouth causes. When there is less saliva in the mouth, the environment at the back of the tongue where odor-producing bacteria live becomes more anaerobic, that is, there is less oxygen there, which favors the proliferation of these undesirable bacteria.
Other causes of dry mouth include exposure to air with a natural drying effect. Breathing through the mouth is the main factor here. It happens when we sleep and is worse if we snore. It happens when there is nasal congestion or inflammation of the sinuses, and some people just habitually breathe through the mouth. Unfortunately, nasal congestion and sinus drainage, besides being dry mouth causes, contribute to bad breath by delivering nutrients to the back of the tongue in the form of nutrient rich drainage down the back of the throat.
Clearly, there are some causes of dry mouth that can be avoided. Coffee, alcohol, and some drugs are optional. Snoring can sometimes be treated, and humidity can be added to the air in a bedroom with a humidistat or humidifier. Colds and sinus problems can often be treated if they don’t clear up on their own. Other dry mouth causes, however are simply not going to go away, and for these, you’ll need to tackle the resulting halitosis with a good commercial product that acts on the odor-producing bacteria causing the problem at the back of the mouth.
Dry mouth can usually be fixed, or at the very least improved with some simple steps. The most important step in fixing dry mouth is to determine the cause. Because dry mouth (also known as xerostomia) is considered to be a condition and not a disease, there are often other factors that are causing the problems. Dry mouth does not often occur without another cause or disease process present.
If you have recently started new medications and now notice that your mouth is very dry…you can probably blame the medication. In fact, medications are the most common cause of dry mouth symptoms. There are literally hundreds of medications that treat everything from allergies to blood pressure that can cause dry mouth symptoms. If you can relate it to a medication, talk with your doctor about lowering the dose or maybe changing you to another medication with fewer side effects.
If you smoke cigarettes or use chewing tobacco be aware that chemicals along with the heat and irritation of the smoke will make your mouth dry. Quitting is your best defense in this case. There are also over the counter saliva replacement liquids that can be purchased that may help add moisture back. This moisture will often last longer than drinks or ice chips even though these may be necessary too. Chewing sugarless gum can also help your mouth produce saliva. If you snore or sleep with your mouth open take steps to reduce these problems as well.
You should see your dentist if you aren’t sure of a cause. He or she will be able to help you figure out how it started, and also how to treat it. Your dentist may be able to give you prescription saliva replacement if your case is severe.
Dry mouth is also known as xerostomia. Dry mouth is simply the lack of saliva or spit inside the mouth. Dry mouth can have a variety of symptoms including bad breath, stringy thick spit, and dryness around the mouth like in the corners of the lips. Dry mouth can make it difficult to eat, speak or wear dental appliances like dentures.
Dry mouth on its own is not a disease—but instead is usually a side effect related to another health issue in the body. Most commonly dry mouth is caused by one or more of a long list of medications. There are literally hundreds of medications from muscle relaxants to blood pressure medications that can cause dry mouth. Another cause of dry mouth is from certain cancer treatments. If you have a cancer of the head or neck, radiation to this area will often cause damage to the salivary glands. These glands are responsible for the production of saliva inside the mouth and if they are damaged they cannot produce saliva or may not produce enough.
Other lifestyle factors can cause dry mouth. Certainly smoking and chewing tobacco can contribute to dry mouth problems. If you have had an injury to the face or neck, specifically an injury that resulted in nerve damage then you may suffer from dry mouth. Also snoring or breathing with your mouth open will also lend to the problem.
Each case of dry mouth should be evaluated based on a person by person basis. Look for obvious, small causes that might be drying you out first. The most common cause is linked to side effects from medications.
No two cases will likely be the same and you should see your dentist or healthcare professional if you notice a continuing problem to have it evaluated. Your dentist may be able to make suggestions to help the problem. Several alternatives are available by prescription for severe cases to help replace saliva if you are not producing any. Taking sips of water or chewing on ice chips throughout the day will also help with symptoms.
Dry mouth on its own is not a disease—but instead is usually a side effect related to another health issue in the body. Most commonly dry mouth is caused by one or more of a long list of medications. There are literally hundreds of medications from muscle relaxants to blood pressure medications that can cause dry mouth. Another cause of dry mouth is from certain cancer treatments. If you have a cancer of the head or neck, radiation to this area will often cause damage to the salivary glands. These glands are responsible for the production of saliva inside the mouth and if they are damaged they cannot produce saliva or may not produce enough.
Xerostomia is the medical term for dry mouth. Dry mouth is simply the lack of saliva or spit inside the mouth. Dry mouth can have a variety of symptoms including bad breath, stringy thick spit, and dryness around the mouth like in the corners of the lips. Dry mouth can make it difficult to eat, speak or wear dental appliances like dentures.
Other lifestyle factors can cause dry mouth. Certainly smoking and chewing tobacco can contribute to dry mouth problems. If you have had an injury to the face or neck, specifically an injury that resulted in nerve damage then you may suffer from dry mouth. Also snoring or breathing with your mouth open will also lend to the problem.
Each case of dry mouth should be evaluated based on a person by person basis. No two cases will likely be the same and you should see your dentist or healthcare professional if you notice a continuing problem to have it evaluated. Your dentist may be able to make suggestions to help the problem. Several alternatives are available by prescription for severe cases to help replace saliva if you are not producing any. Taking sips of water or chewing on ice chips throughout the day will also help with symptoms.
There can be many causes of dry mouth. While dry mouth is most usually associated with other medical conditions, lifestyle can play a key role in this problem. Dry mouth is considered to be more of a “side effect” meaning that there is another underlying cause of the problem and dry mouth does not often occur just on its own.
Tobacco products like cigarettes, and chewing tobacco are common causes of dry mouth. The heat and chemical in the smoke from cigarettes as well as the chemicals that come in contact with the gums with chewing tobacco irritate the gums. This irritation will change the normal chemical balance inside the mouth and can cause the mouth to dry out, and can cause other problems like swollen and infected gums and can even lead to oral cancers over time. Because of the drying effect on the mouth, smokers often struggle with bad breath because there isn’t enough saliva present to help wash away the odor causing bacteria.
If you wish to continue to smoking but suffer from dry mouth you may look for over the counter products that can be placed in the mouth to replace saliva when your mouth is dry. If these products are not helpful, you may need to see your doctor or dentist to get a prescription for something stronger that may help. Also chewing sugarless gum or taking frequent sips of water or chewing on ice chips can also help with symptoms.
Certainly as with any tobacco product, your best cure is going to be stopping the use of the products all together. Make sure to see your dentist regularly (at least twice a year) for cleanings and to also have the inside of your mouth and tongue checked for any signs of lesions or changes that may lead to bigger problems like cancer.
Bad breath may have many causes—some of which are unknown. One proven trigger of bad breath is from dry tissues inside the mouth. Bacteria living inside the mouth are washed away or kept at lower levels thanks to saliva (spit) that keeps the mouth moist and cleanses away bacteria.
When the tissues of the mouth become dry dead skin cells inside the mouth are allowed to collect in higher amounts and they begin to decompose which leads to bad breath. Another cause of bad breath lays directly in the bacteria themselves.
Without saliva, the amount of oxygen that is available to the tissues in the mouth is reduced. This can make a very happy home for bacteria where they thrive and release their sulfur compounds—these sulfur compounds result in bad breath.
Alcohol has long been used in medical settings to dry narrow test tubes that cannot be reached with other tools. Allowing the alcohol to evaporate removes moisture from the surface that it is touching. The same bears true for the tissues inside the mouth. Consuming an alcoholic drink will eventually dry out the tissues inside the mouth allowing dead skin cells and bacteria to increase.
Another hidden culprit behind bad breath is mouthwash. As surprising as it may be, mouthwash often contains high amounts of alcohol and will only make improve a case of bad breath temporarily and then it will return worse than it began. Reading labels on all oral care products and choosing one without alcohol is a wise first step to avoiding this common mistake.
The natural balance inside our mouth can be delicate and hard to maintain without the proper tools. Staying away from synthetic chemicals and additives that disrupt nature’s balance in our bodies is always beneficial to helping us stay at peak performance.
Dry mouth may be mild or severe. In some cases there may be no saliva production at all. Without saliva it is difficult to eat, swallow and sometimes even speak without difficulties. Wearing dental appliances like dentures can also be very hard.
If you suffer from dry mouth there are some over the counter products that can help replace saliva in a liquid synthetic form. These liquids can be placed in the mouth and are not easily washed away. This gives the mouth moisture for a longer period of time than just sipping water or chewing on ice chips. Your doctor or dentist may also give you a prescription for a stronger form if your case is severe enough.
Before you make a trip to the pharmacy, try some simple steps to improve your mouth’s moisture. Talk to your doctor about any medications that you may be taking that could be causing your symptoms. Especially if your dry mouth has started suddenly or you have recently started taking new medications. There are literally hundreds of medications on the market that can cause dry mouth symptoms and simply lowering your dose or changing to another brand of medication may cure your dry mouth.
Chewing sugarless gum can also help awaken your salivary glands and ask them to make more saliva if they can. Choose sugarless because many people who have a lack of saliva often have trouble fighting cavities. Saliva helps wash away bacteria that could remain on the teeth and without it, bacteria attack the teeth and cause cavities much more quickly. Sugar feeds bacteria, so you will want to avoid sugary snacks and candies as much as possible.
Other simple options include breathing through your nose at night, and using a cool mist humidifier to add moisture to the air. This can help moisten not only your mouth but also the inside of your nose and your throat while you sleep.
Fixing a dry mouth will really depend on its cause. Dry mouth is often a symptom related to another problem or lifestyle factor and often doesn’t occur just on its own.
Try the most obvious changes first. Talk to your doctor about any medications that you may be taking that could be causing your symptoms. Especially if your dry mouth has started suddenly or you have recently started taking new medications. There are literally hundreds of medications on the market that can cause dry mouth symptoms and simply lowering your dose or changing to another brand of medication may cure your dry mouth.
If you suffer from dry mouth there are some over the counter products that can help replace saliva in a liquid synthetic form. These liquids can be placed in the mouth and are not easily washed away. This gives the mouth moisture for a longer period of time than just sipping water or chewing on ice chips. Your doctor or dentist may also give you a prescription for a stronger form if your case is severe enough.
Chewing sugarless gum can also help awaken your salivary glands and ask them to make more saliva if they can. Choose sugarless because many people who have a lack of saliva often have trouble fighting cavities. Saliva helps wash away bacteria that could remain on the teeth and without it, bacteria attack the teeth and cause cavities much more quickly. Sugar feeds bacteria, so you will want to avoid sugary snacks and candies as much as possible.
Stay away from tobacco products like cigarettes and chewing tobacco. Also avoid antihistamines (medications we usually take for allergies) as these will dry up not only your runny nose, but your saliva too.Other simple options include breathing through your nose at night, and using a cool mist humidifier to add moisture to the air. This can help moisten not only your mouth but also the inside of your nose and your throat while you sleep.
Xerostomia is the medical term for dry mouth. Dry mouth is simply the lack of saliva or spit inside the mouth. Dry mouth can have a variety of symptoms including bad breath, stringy thick spit, and dryness around the mouth like in the corners of the lips. Dry mouth can make it difficult to eat, speak or wear dental appliances like dentures.
Dry mouth on its own is not a disease—but instead is usually a side effect related to another health issue in the body. Most commonly dry mouth is caused by one or more of a long list of medications. There are literally hundreds of medications from muscle relaxants to blood pressure medications that can cause dry mouth. Another cause of dry mouth is from certain cancer treatments. If you have a cancer of the head or neck, radiation to this area will often cause damage to the salivary glands. These glands are responsible for the production of saliva inside the mouth and if they are damaged they cannot produce saliva or may not produce enough.
Other lifestyle factors can cause dry mouth. Certainly smoking and chewing tobacco can contribute to dry mouth problems. If you have had an injury to the face or neck, specifically an injury that resulted in nerve damage then you may suffer from dry mouth. Also snoring or breathing with your mouth open will also lend to the problem.
Each case of dry mouth should be evaluated based on a person by person basis. No two cases will likely be the same and you should see your dentist or health care professional if you notice a continuing problem to have it evaluated. Your dentist may be able to make suggestions to help the problem. Several alternatives are available by prescription for severe cases to help replace saliva if you are not producing any. Taking sips of water or chewing on ice chips throughout the day will also help with symptoms.
Dry mouth can be a temporary problem that is only related to what you may have eaten or drank today. Or it may be a chronic (long term) problem that you have battled for years. Also known as xerostomia in the medical world and its main symptom is simply the lack of saliva (or spit). Xerostomia is not a disease, but more of a condition related to many other factors.
The most common cause of dry mouth is related to medications that you may take for other health problems. Even though there is not a cure all for dry mouth, there are many ways that you may treat the symptoms to make them less bothersome. First, avoid all dental care products that include sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) in the ingredient list. This includes nearly every dental care toothpaste and mouthwash on the market, so read your labels thoroughly. SLS can contribute to canker sores in people with dry mouth.
One of the main roles of spit in your mouth is to help keep the acid levels normal, and to wash away bacteria that could cause cavities or other serious problems. Without spit it only makes sense that you will be more likely to get cavities or other serious dental infections because bacteria will be spending more time in contact with the teeth and gums. Because of this you should avoid sugary or acidic foods which can result in bacterial overgrowth.
If you are a smoker or drink caffeine you should do your best to stop these habits in order to give what spit you have a chance to work. Sucking on ice chips and taking frequent sips of water will also help to a degree. Of course you should see your dentist if your dry mouth is problematic or is a new symptom for you. He or she may make recommendations for your specific case.
