Do you often experience having a dry mouth? You need not worry much about it since there are a lot of remedies to it. Not only that you can alleviate the condition, but you will also feel much better about your self. Furthermore, the treatments for dry mouth are all available, so looking for them in stores can be easy. So, if you are experiencing this condition, you must learn how to treat it. To know how, please continue reading on to this article.
Dry Mouth: What is it?
In the medical field, dry mouth is called xerostomia. It is actually a very common condition that many of us face nowadays. The dryness in the mouth can be because of the change in the saliva composition or there is a reduction in the salivary flow. When the mouth wasn’t able to produce enough saliva, it cannot keep the mouth wet, thus making the mouth dry. Moreover, this condition is actually common to aging people as well as those who take medications. However, there may also be some other underlying reasons for this condition’s development.
More often than not, dry mouth’s a symptom of improper functioning of the salivary glands. This is concomitant with anxiety, alcohol consumption, depression, smoking, snoring, stress, dehydration, as well as aging. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers may also experience this condition because of dehydration and hormonal changes.
The condition may also be an after-effect of some certain medications used in treating anxiety, nerve pain, and depression. Furthermore, same goes for the pain medications, muscle relaxants, decongestants, and antihistamines. Some other possible causes may include autoimmune diseases, nerve damage, diabetes, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Dry Mouth: What causes it?
Dry mouth as stated earlier is the improper functioning of the salivary gland. There are various factors which may inte3rfere in the salivary glands functioning, and some of which are as follows:
- Mouth breathing: breathing thru the mouth especially when asleep may cause dry mouth. It mainly happens at night. When you wake up from this, sore throat and the lips being chapped is quite common.
- Pregnancy: in this particular stage in women, they undergo many hormonal changes. These changes in their hormones may lead to the development of dry mouth.
- Some health conditions: the condition may develop from various health conditions like diabetes or fever. Furthermore, it may also be a side effect of diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and HIV or AIDS.
- Stress: anxiety that may often trail by stress may cause the development of dry mouth. Moreover, situations that lead to tension and irritation may also result to dry mouth.
- Smoking: this vice may make dry mouth worse.
- Nerve damage: this may result in the loss of the proper function of the salivary glands, leading to the development of dry mouth.
- Ageing: aging alters the normal function of the glands. Aging together with the intake of medications may lead to dry mouth.
- Medication: this may increase the possibility of developing the condition. many medicines also cause dry mouth as a side effect.
Dry Mouth: What are its symptoms?
Here are some of the most common indications of dry mouth:
- Bleeding gums and decaying teeth
- Ulcers and sores
- Dryness in the corners of the mouth
- Bad breathe
- Headaches
- Pale gums
- White tongue
- Chapped and dry lips
- Inability to taste foods
- Difficulty in swallowing as well as speaking
- Thirst or grasping for water
- A sore throat
- Raw and dry feeling in the mouth
Treatments for Dry Mouth
Here are some of the most amazing home remedies or treatments for dry mouth:
Aniseeds. This is actually an appetite stimulant. Often, it is used to stimulate the hunger. Also, since this seed is licorice flavored, it is also beneficial in fighting dry mouth as well as bad breath.
Fennel. Fennel is rich in flavonoids, these stimulate the saliva production and keeping the mouth clean all the time.
Lemon juice. The citric acid in the fruit is beneficial in keeping the mouth fresh and clean. This is while it stimulates the production of the saliva to get rid of the condition.
Pineapple. The bromelain in the pineapple helps in degrading mouth debris. Furthermore, it also helps in making the saliva thinner and increases its flow in the mouth.
Aloe vera juice. Aloe vera has infinite benefits when talking about health and beauty specifically. It helps in triggering the proper function of salivary glands and also increase the saliva production in the mouth.
Green tea. Tea is one of the best herbs and treatments for dry mouth. This is since it helps in preventing the development of the condition with the help of its antibacterial properties.
Ginger. Since ginger has rich bioactive compounds, it is beneficial in treating dry mouth. Moreover, it also helps in stimulating the saliva. This may help in keeping the mouth fresh.
