Dry mouth is a condition where the salivary glands in your mouth don't produce enough saliva to keep your mouth wet.
Here are some signs and symptoms of dry mouth
- Dry mouth when eating a meal
- Difficulty speaking due to a dry mouth
- Frequently sipping on liquids to help you swallow dry food
- Getting out of bed at night to drink fluids
- Chewing on gum or suck lollies to relieve dry mouth
- Feeling like the amount of saliva in your mouth is too little, thick or stringy
Saliva is important because it
- Prevents tooth loss
- Helps you to speak, chew, swallow and digest food
- Protects your teeth and gums from bacteria and acids that can lead to dental cavities
- Helps prevent infection by balancing the number of bacteria in your mouth
If left untreated, dry mouth can lead to
- Dental pain and loss of teeth
- Difficulty chewing, swallowing and speech
- Dental decay and caries
- Periodontal (Gums) and mucosal disease
- Oral infections, e.g. candidiasis, gingivitis
- Difficulty wearing dentures, denture sores
- Oral discomfort
- Bad breath (Halitosis)
- Altered or reduced taste sensation
- Dry and cracked lips
- Burning sensation of the mouth and tongue
- Disturbed sleep
- Pharyngitis and laryngitis
- Speech and eating difficulties can result in a loss of appetite and malnutrition, a reluctance to socialise, an inability to take medicines, diminished quality of life and poor general health.
TALK TO YOUR DENTIST OR GP
What should I talk to my GP about?
- Medical conditions that can cause dry mouth
- Medicines that can cause dry mouth
- Quit Smoking Advice
What should I talk to my dentist about?
Dry mouth increases your chance of getting cavities and other oral health issues.
Annual visits to the dentist can ensure that your teeth, dentures (if you have them), gums and mouth stay healthy.
Our dentists can also give you advice about how to help manage dry mouth and which products are best to use
What else can I do?
- Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, use dental floss daily, and rinse your mouth with a non-alcoholic mouthwash. Talk to your dentist about which products are best to use.
- Minimise sugary and acidic foods and drinks such as fruit juices, cordial, soft drinks, alcohol, sports and energy drinks.
- Sip on plain water, suck on ice chips or spry water into your mouth. Some people find using a humidifier at night while sleeping helpful.
- Use a water based lip moisturiser if your lips are dry
- If you smoke, talk to your GP or pharmacist about the options for quitting. For support to quit and a personalised quitting plan contact the national Quitline on 13 78 48 or at: www.quitnow.gov.au
- Eat foods that require chewing to stimulate saliva production, especially at breakfast, and chew sugar-free gum or sugar-free lollies between meals
- Ask your pharmacist or dentist about products for dry mouth.
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