What Causes Dry Mouth? What Is Good For Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth, defined as xerostomia, is caused by the inability of the glands in this region to produce enough saliva. Saliva is a secretion that plays an important role in the digestive process. This secretion, which plays a role in the moistening of foods and initiating the digestive processes, also contributes to the maintenance of oral health. Therefore, dry mouth can also be a problem associated with bad breath, a feeling of dryness in the throat, and chapped lips. Although dry mouth alone does not seem like an important health problem, care should be taken as it may also occur due to some underlying health problems.

What is Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth can be defined as a person's perception of a feeling of dryness in the oral cavity and therefore difficulty in actions such as swallowing. The first of the factors in the formation of this feeling is the side effects that occur after the use of various drugs. The most common causes of dry mouth after drug side effects are radiotherapy applications and Sjögren's syndrome or other autoimmune diseases.
It is important that xerostomia is not considered as a normal condition that develops with aging.

What Causes Dry Mouth?

Many different conditions can cause dry mouth development. Medication side effects are the first reason for the development of dry mouth. Antihistamines, decongestants, hypertension drugs, diarrhea drugs, muscle relaxants, drugs used in Parkinson's disease and many antidepressant derivative drugs can cause dry mouth development. Dry mouth caused by side effects of drugs is a more common condition in this population, since elderly individuals use more drugs due to different health problems. . Radiotherapy applied to the head and neck area causes damage to the salivary glands in this area, and therefore, a decrease in the amount of saliva produced may occur.
Chemotherapy applications can cause dry mouth by affecting the chemical content of saliva or the production level in the body. Apply trauma and surgery Damage to the nerves that control the functioning of the secretory glands in the mouth during malaria is among the other causes that may lead to the development of dry mouth.
The causes of dry mouth can be summarized as follows:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Tobacco use
• Breathing through the mouth
• Snoring
• Autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren's disease
• Botulism
• Diabetes (diabetes)
• Thrush
• Alzheimer's disease
• Cystic fibrosis

Apart from these reasons, the decrease in the total amount of water in the body may also cause the salivary glands to work less and the development of dry mouth. Continuing physical activities for a long time, especially in hot environments, may result in dry mouth complaints.

What are the Symptoms of Dry Mouth?

Regardless of the underlying cause, dry mouth symptoms are generally known common findings. . Inability to fully perform the functions of chewing, swallowing, speaking and tasting are among these common complaints that may occur with excessive dry mouth. The decrease in oral secretions can also make teeth and gums vulnerable to many problems.
There are many signs and symptoms that may occur with the development of dry mouth in a person:

• Bad breath
• Development of cracks in the lips
• Cracking in and around the mouth
• Taste disorder
• Predisposition to the development of fungal infection in the mouth
• Pain in the tongue
• Development of frequent gum problems
• Teeth loss or plaque development
• Difficulty in speaking or swallowing
• Inflammation of the salivary glands
• Sore throat

In addition to these symptoms, dry mouth can cause eye and In case of accompanying other dryness complaints such as skin dryness, it is recommended to be careful because the underlying condition may be Sjögren's syndrome.

How is the Diagnosis of Dry Mouth?

Diagnosis of dry mouth, complaints about it and physical examination It is a clinical diagnosis that can be made in line with the findings. With the help of various diagnostic tools used when necessary, the decrease in salivary secretion in individuals can be clearly demonstrated. r:
Sialometry
The normal flow rate of salivary secretion is around 1.5-2 ml per minute when the glands are stimulated, while it is approximately 0.3-0.4 ml per minute at rest. Hyposalivation (lack of salivary secretion) refers to the situation where the secretion rate does not exceed 0.5-0.7 ml per minute despite the stimulation of the glands. .
Sialography
Sialography is an imaging technique that provides radiological examination of salivary glands and ducts. Sialography examination can be very useful, especially in cases where salivary gland stones or masses are suspected.
Biopsy
A small sample of tissue is taken from these glands in salivary gland biopsy. This method is generally used in cases where Sjögren's syndrome or cancer is considered.

How is Dry Mouth Treatment?

The main purpose of dry mouth treatment is to alleviate this complaint of people. Interventions made in this context are generally in line with the following purposes:

• Increasing saliva secretion
• Manufacturing the epidemic
• Controlling dental problems
• Infection treating special conditions such as

It should not be forgotten that the use of any drug should not be terminated by individual decisions without the knowledge of the physicians and outside the current instructions. If it is determined that dry mouth occurs as a side effect of various drugs, physicians can reschedule the current treatment with a drug with less side effects.
In order to eliminate the complaint of dry mouth, physicians may also apply to prescribe some drugs. These drugs with active ingredients pilocarpine or sevimelin show a supportive effect on saliva production.

What's Good for Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth is usually a temporary and treatable problem. Many people who complain about this situation do not do it with the knowledge and suggestion of the physicians. Among the answers to the question of how dry mouth is:

• Frequently sipping water
• Staying away from alcohol and caffeinated beverages
• Quitting tobacco use
• Limiting the amount of salt and sugar consumed during the day
• Chewing sugar-free gum
• Using toothpaste and mouthwash solution that does not affect salivation

Practices such as tooth brushing and dental floss, which are as effective as oral health care, are among the methods that can be effective against tooth loss or gum disease that may occur as a result of this problem. In order to protect oral health, it is another important practice to be examined by dentists at least 2 times a year. Some people may complain of dry mouth in the evening. The repetition of this situation for many nights may indicate that this situation should be intervened now. If the complaint of dry mouth at night is not treated, it can negatively affect actions such as speech and feeding. There are various applications that can be done within the knowledge and recommendation of physicians against dry mouth that occurs at night:

• Leaving a glass of water by the bed and drinking this water in case of waking up with a complaint of dry mouth at night
• Tooth cleaning before going to bed being careful that the mouthwash solutions used while making it do not contain alcohol
• Using various devices to humidify the air in the bedroom
• Taking care to breathe through the nose before sleeping at night
• mouth in the morning Avoiding the consumption of excessively salty or excessively sweet foods in the evening hours in order to prevent the development of dryness.
  You can ask the expert team of Group Florence Nightingale Hospitals about dry mouth and ask for suggestions regarding your question. You can use the contact form on our website to reach us.

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