Everyone has a dry mouth once in a while. You finish a workout and suddenly realize you’re parched. Or you’re so nervous about an upcoming event that you feel as if your mouth has no saliva.
But if you have a dry mouth on more days than not, that’s a different story. Not only can this medical condition be uncomfortable, but it can also cause serious health problems.
With dry mouth, or xerostomia, you don’t have enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. People who have it may experience trouble chewing, swallowing or even talking. And it can hurt your mouth in the long run.
“You need saliva for a lot of reasons, and a big one is keeping your teeth and gums healthy,” says Kathryn Boling, MD, a family medicine doctor at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Saliva contains minerals that help keep teeth strong and keep harmful germs in check. And when you don’t have enough, it increases your risk for tooth decay and fungal infections in your mouth.
Dry mouth may be caused by something simple (how much water have you had to drink today?). Or it could spring from something more complicated, such as nerve damage.
Here are the top 7 reasons for dry mouth, plus advice on how to get relief.
Reason #1: You take medication with dry mouth as a side effect
Medication side effects are a top cause of dry mouth, Dr. Boling says. In fact, the American Dental Association (ADA) notes that more than 400 prescription and over-the-counter medications can contribute to dry mouth or make it worse.
The most common offenders block a chemical messenger in your body called acetylcholine. They’re called anticholinergics. And they include certain medications for:
- High blood pressure
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Overactive bladder
- Anxiety and depression
That said, you should never just stop a medication on your own. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms and whether your medications could be playing a role. You may be able to switch to a different medication or lower the dose of an existing one. (Don’t forget to bring your free Optum Perks prescription discount card with you to the pharmacy. This is how it works.)
Reason #2: You don’t drink enough water
This might seem obvious. But it’s likely that many of us are simply not hydrated enough. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. adults drink an average of 39 ounces of water a day. That’s a little shy of 5 cups. While there’s no set amount we should all aim for, a reasonable goal for most folks is about 8 cups of water per day.
Drinking and eating enough fluids helps our brain and heart work. And it ensures that we have enough stores to make saliva.
Reason #3: You’re really nervous or stressed
That looming deadline could trigger your fight-or-flight response. “When your body is flooded with adrenaline, it diverts fluids to the sweat glands and other organs,” says Nadia Khan, MD. She’s an internist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Illinois. “This results in less saliva production.”
And, she adds, when people are anxious, they tend to breathe through their mouth. That can lead to a dry mouth, too.
Reason #4: You use an alcohol-based mouthwash
Alcohol is drying, Dr. Boling says. And it could inhibit saliva production, so using an alcohol-based mouthwash may make dry mouth worse.
The American Dental Association recommends using an alcohol-free, fluoride-containing mouth rinse to help manage dry mouth. The fluoride helps protect your teeth from cavities.
