Do you experience mouth dryness while sleeping or have you been battling with occasional mouth dryness, I am going to show you how to cure mouth dryness using simple DIY guides you don’t know.
What is mouth dryness?
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Mouth dryness is an oral symptom that results in a lack of saliva in your mouth. Mouth dryness is not good for your oral health as it leads to bad breath, gingivitis, and even oral thrush.
Knowing how to cure mouth dryness will give you an upper hand against bad breath, oral thrush and bacteria build up in your mouth.
One of the purposes of mouth care is to have healthy oral hygiene, which includes fresh breath, healthy teeth, fresh lips, etc.
Causes of Dryness of Mouth
There are many root causes of mouth dryness you do not know. We can talk about how to treat dryness of the mouth without mentioning the root causes of dryness of mouth.
Dry mouth is caused when the salivary glands in the mouth have failed to make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. These is because of many factors as outlined below according to Mayoclinic.
- Medications. Hundreds of medications, including many over-the-counter drugs, produce dry mouth as a side effect. Among the more likely types to cause problems are some of the drugs used to treat depression, high blood pressure and anxiety, as well as some antihistamines, decongestants, muscle relaxants, and pain medications.
- Aging. Many older people experience dry mouth as they age. Contributing factors include the use of certain medications, changes in the body’s ability to process medication, inadequate nutrition, and having long-term health problems.
- Cancer therapy. Chemotherapy drugs can change the nature of saliva and the amount produced. This may be temporary, with normal salivary flow returning after treatment is completed. Radiation treatments to your head and neck can damage salivary glands, causing a marked decrease in saliva production. This may be temporary or permanent, depending on the radiation dose and the area treated.
- Nerve damage. An injury or surgery that causes nerve damage to your head and neck area can result in dry mouth.
- Other health conditions. Dry mouth can be due to certain health conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, yeast infection (thrush) in your mouth or Alzheimer’s disease, or due to autoimmune diseases, such as Sjogren’s syndrome or HIV/AIDS. Snoring and breathing with your mouth open also can contribute to dry mouth.
- Tobacco and alcohol use. Drinking alcohol and smoking or chewing tobacco can increase dry mouth symptoms.
- Recreational drug use. Methamphetamine use can cause severe dry mouth and damage to teeth, a condition also known as “meth mouth.” Marijuana also can cause dry mouth.
Potential symptoms of mouth dryness
It is important you know the symptoms of mouth dryness before talking about how to cure mouth dryness. Just like flu, there are signs to look out for before you can say you are experiencing dry mouth.
Listed below are all the symptoms of mouth dryness you need to know
- constant sore throat
- trouble swallowing
- dryness inside your nose
- burning feeling in your throat
- difficulty in speaking
- hoarseness
- change in sense of taste
- tooth decay
Mouth dryness during early pregnancy, is it normal?
It is normal to occasionally have mouth dryness during early pregnancy but not normally when it becomes a regular thing.
In fact, mouth dryness is a very vital sign of pregnancy as it helps to keep you hydrated. You need a lot more water when you’re pregnant; this greatly helps your baby develop fully and properly.
How to Cure Mouth Dryness (6 Simple DIY Hacks)
Like I earlier promised, I will show you how to cure mouth dryness and keep your oral health in check all day long.
Drinking lots of water
To cure mouth dryness, you need to always stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Dehydration happens when your body loses water faster than it takes it in.
Dehydration can be especially dangerous for pregnant women. Your body needs more water to fight mouth dryness. Moreso, drinking lots of water especially in the morning helps to prevent bad breath in the morning.
Sucking on ice chips not only give you fluids and moistens your mouth, but it also helps in reducing nausea during pregnancies.
Avoid Coffee and Tobacco
Yes, cut down on coffee intake. They cause mouth dryness which may deteriorate to bad breath, bacteria build up in the mouth and sore throats.
Chewing sugar-free gum
Chewing sugar-free gums can help keep your mouth hydrated and fresh especially during the day. This can help encourage your mouth to make more saliva and stay fresh.
Practicing good oral hygiene
Practicing good oral hygiene like brushing and flossing regularly helps to prevent tooth decay caused by dry mouth. Always use good manual soft-bristled toothbrushes to brush regularly.
Use Mouthwashes made for Dry mouth
Swishing your mouth with mouthwashes specifically made for dry mouth can help you cure mouth dryness once for all. You can find the best mouthwash for dry mouth here.
Use a humidifier at night
Get yourself a humidifier if you experience dry mouth when waking up.
How to prevent mouth dryness when waking up
Do you experience mouth dryness when waking up every morning or after a quick nap? Using a humidifier at night is especially helpful if you’re waking up with a dry mouth.
A humidifier is a device, basically an electrical appliance, which increases humidity (water moisture content) in a single room or an entire building. This portable device adds moisture to the air to prevent dryness that can cause irritation in many parts of the body especially your mouth (throat).
Therefore, in order to deal with mouth dryness when waking up, get yourself a humidifier therapy.
Best Humidifier for mouth dryness
Here is a list of the best humidifiers for mouth dryness; you can purchase one for yourself. A humidifier helps to prevent further mouth dryness.
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Wrapping up…
These simple DIY tricks on how to cure mouth dryness will only be effective if you practice them holistically. Practicing them will give you the best results you have never imagined.
Also Read: 5 Important Purpose of Mouth Care for Kids, Teens, and Adults
In all this, engaging in the right oral hygiene routine is key to good oral health.
In cases when you encounter dryness as a result of snoring or apnea, thrush as a result of bacteria build-up, I advise you to see a medical professional.
