Overcoming Dry Mouth

Overcoming Dry Mouth
Saliva is useful to moisturize and cleanse the mouth and digest food. Saliva also prevents infection by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. But when the body does not produce enough saliva, dry mouth and cause discomfort which is very annoying.
Dry mouth is a condition where there is decreased secretion of saliva in the oral cavity by salivary glands.

This can cause symptoms such as constant thirst, increased susceptibility of contracting oral opportunistic diseases, increase the risk of gingivitis (gum disease), tooth decay, and mouth infections. Dry mouth also makes it difficult to wear dentures.

As quoted from Medicinenet, Monday (02/22/2010), there are several things that cause dry mouth, among others:

1. Side effects of certain drugs
Dry mouth is a common side effect of many drugs, such as drugs used to treat depression, anxiety, pain, allergies and colds (antihistamines and decongestants), obesity, acne, epilepsy, hypertension (diuretic), diarrhea, nausea, disturbance psychotic, incontinence (bladder), asthma (certain bronchodilators) and Parkinson's disease. Dry mouth is also a side effect of muscle relaxants and sedatives.

2. Side effects of the disease and certain infections
Dry mouth can be a side effect of medical conditions, such as Sjorgen syndrome, HIV / AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, anemia, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatism), hypertension, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and mumps.

3. Side effects of certain medical treatments
The existence of damage to the salivary glands, namely the glands that produce saliva, which occurs because of radiation to the head and neck, as well as chemotherapy for cancer treatment, can reduce the amount of saliva produced.

4. Nerve damage
Dry mouth can result from nerve damage due to head and neck injury or surgery.

5. Dehydration
Conditions that cause dehydration, such as fever, excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of blood and burns can cause dry mouth.

6. Lifestyle
Smoking or chewing tobacco can affect saliva production and aggravate dry mouth. Continue to breathe with mouth open can also contribute to the problem of dry mouth.

7. Surgical removal of salivary glands


Common symptoms of dry mouth include:

1. Dry, sticky taste in the mouth
2. Often thirsty
3. Wounds in the mouth like a wound or split skin at the corner of the mouth and
chapped lips
4. Dryness in the throat
5. Burning or tingling in the mouth and especially on the tongue
6. Dry and red tongue
7. Problem at the moment of speech and difficulty tasting, chewing and swallowing
8. Hoarse voice, dry nose, sore throat
9. Bad breath


As quoted from eHow, Medicinenet, and Buzzle, there are several ways to treat dry mouth, among others, as follows:

1. Brush your teeth three times a day. Healthy teeth and gums will produce saliva,
which proper, and make the mouth moist and fresh.
2. Drinking lots of water along the water to help keep the mouth moist. However, it
would be better helped if drinking water with small sips. This is because
drinking water in big gulps will only make people urinate more often, and worsen
dry mouth.
3. Avoid caffeinated beverages such as tea, coffee and soda.
4. To prevent dryness, especially when you're eating, sip water in between meals
will make chewing easier.
5. Fishing salivary gland salivate for more. This can be done with sugar-free gum
or candy. However, try not excessive because the excess sugar in the gum can
cause disruption of dental caries.
6. Do not consume tobacco (tobacco) or alcohol, as this tends to increase the
dryness of the mouth.
7. Avoiding foods that aggravate dry mouth, such as salty foods or spicy foods that
can cause pain and irritation of the tongue and oral cavity.
8. Using a fluoride toothpaste to prevent the possible development of dental caries.
9. If the mouth sore, use warm salt water and baking soda rinses to reduce dryness.
10. Simple healing for dry mouth is to chew fibrous foods between meals, such as
carrots and celery. This helps to increase the secretion of saliva and also does
not cause dental caries.
11. Eat foods that are easy to chew and swallow.
12. Breathe through your nose, not mouth.
13. Consult a physician if you need to take certain medications that can cause dry
mouth.

Source: AFP
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