Dry Mouth: When It's More Than Just Nerves

By Denise DeWitt HERWriter

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We all have occasions when our mouths go dry. Sometimes being nervous or stressed can trigger an attack of dry mouth. If having a dry mouth becomes a persistent problem, you may have xerostomia.

Xerostomia is the condition of not having enough saliva or spit to keep the mouth wet. This may seem like a minor annoyance, but it can actually affect you ability to chew, eat, swallow, and even talk, and it can increase the risk of tooth decay.

Symptoms of dry mouth

• A dry, sticky feeling in the mouth
• Saliva that seems thick or stringy
• Trouble chewing, swallowing, or speaking
• Changes in the way things taste
• A burning feeling in the mouth
• Cracked lips or split skin at the corners of the mouth
• Mouth sores
• Bad breath
• A dry, rough tongue
• An infection in the mouth
• Increased plaque on the teeth
• A sore throat

Dry mouth is caused by a problem with the glands in the mouth that produce saliva. A variety of things can cause problems with the salivary glands.

• Medications –Over 400 medicines are known to cause dry mouth, including some drugs used to treat depression and anxiety, antihistamines, decongestants, and high blood pressure medications.
• Age – Growing older doesn’t cause dry mouth, but older people are more likely to take medications or have other conditions that cause dry mouth.
• Nerve damage – Surgery or an injury that results in nerve damage to the head or neck may cause dry mouth.
• Cancer treatments – Chemotherapy drugs can affect how the body produces saliva. Radiation treatments to the head or neck can damage the salivary glands and reduce the amount of saliva produced.
• Tobacco – Smoking or chewing tobacco can make dry mouth symptoms worse.
• Snoring – Breathing with your mouth open, including snoring, may make dry mouth worse.
• Other conditions –Sjogren’s syndrome, diabetes, Parkinsons disease, HIV/AIDS, anxiety disorders, and depression are just some of the health conditions that can result in dry mouth. Others including stroke and Alzheimer’s disease may make dry mouth symptoms seem worse, even though the salivary glands may be functioning normally.

Treating dry mouth
Your doctor will need to determine what is causing your dry mouth symptoms.
• If medication is causing dry mouth, your doctor may change your medicine or adjust the dosage.
• If your salivary glands are functioning but are not producing enough saliva, your doctor may prescribe medication to help the glands work better.
• Your doctor may prescribe artificial saliva to help keep your mouth moist.

Other tips to ease dry mouth symptoms include:

• Sip water or sugarless drinks frequently.
• Avoid caffeine.
• Sip water between bites while eating to make chewing and swallowing easier and to improve taste.
• Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless candy to stimulate saliva production.
• Avoid alcohol and tobacco.
• Be careful about eating spicy or salty foods that may cause pain when your mouth is dry.
• Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air in your home, especially at night.

Saliva is important to your body in many ways. In addition to keeping your mouth wet, saliva helps start the process of digesting food, helps prevents tooth decay, helps control bacteria and fungus in the mouth which helps prevent infection, and allows you to chew and swallow your food. If you suspect that your dry mouth is more serious than an occasional case of nerves, talk to your doctor about your symptoms.

Sources:
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Mayo Clinic

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.