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.