Remedies for Chronic Dry Mouth

14 Mar Remedies for Chronic Dry Mouth

Chronic dry mouth is a recognized medical condition with several possible sources and can also lead to an array of different oral health problems. Saliva plays an important role in your mouth. It helps to wash away food particles and bacteria while also creating a medium that reduces bacterial presence. As a result, people with chronic dry mouth have much higher incidence of halitosis and tooth decay.

Dry mouth can be caused by medications, medical conditions, oral cancer, alcohol, tobacco use and a host of other issues. If your dry mouth is caused by medications you are taking, you should continue to take them, while seeking out lifestyle changes and habits that promote saliva production.

Here are a few things you can do to help combat dry mouth on an everyday basis.

Try to cut back on or avoid things that are known to dry out the mouth, such as caffeine, over the counter decongestants and antihistamines. You might want to also try switching mouthwash to a brand that doesn’t use alcohol.

If you use alcohol or tobacco on a regular basis you should talk to your physician about a cessation or rehabilitation program. Both of these items are harmful to the mouth and your overall health.

Chewing sugar free gum helps to stimulate saliva production. Sipping water throughout the course of the day adds fluids to the mouth to help wash away food particles and bacteria. While this isn’t a true long term solution it is something you can do to help mitigate problems like chronic bad breath and tooth decay caused by a dry mouth.

If you have issues with dry mouth, or you are struggling to manage dry mouth through lifestyle modification, please feel free to call us at 919-471-9106 to schedule an appointment.