Dry mouth in adults

Dry mouth is usually a temporary condition and often occurs when the salivary glands do not produce enough saliva. This is a common side effect of many prescription drugs and is one of the manifestations of some diseases. Although dry mouth can occur at almost any age, mouth discomfort due to excessive dryness is more common in older people, affecting 30% of people aged 65 and over, and among younger people with bad habits.

Although dry mouth itself is not life-threatening at all, it can be a very annoying sensation, provoking certain negative consequences for the health of the teeth and other organs. The medical term for dry mouth is xerostomia. It is this term that doctors record in the patient’s chart.

Causes of dry mouth in adults

Dry mouth is not a disease, but only one of the symptoms of various conditions. This may be a side effect of an illness or medication, as described below. Certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs used to treat a wide range of health problems, such as depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders, allergies and colds, asthma, epilepsy, hypertension, diarrhea, nausea, and urinary incontinence, can cause mild to severe dry mouth. .

A number of diseases, such as Sjögren’s syndrome, HIV (or AIDS syndrome), Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes (any type), anemia, a rare genetic disease – cystic fibrosis, progressive rheumatoid arthritis, stroke, and mumps also provoke dry mouth.

Medical procedures such as surgical removal of the salivary glands, chemotherapy courses, and damage to the salivary glands from radiation exposure to the head or neck area are another cause of dryness.

Lifestyles such as smoking, chewing tobacco and breathing, if the mouth is always open, can dry out the oral mucosa.

A disease called Sjögren’s syndrome leads to constant dryness of the mucous membranes in the mouth. This serious syndrome is most common in women and affects up to 3% of the population. Dry mouth, as well as dryness in the eyes and possibly other areas covered with mucous membranes, is considered one of the symptoms of Sjögren’s syndrome.

Symptoms of dry mouth in adults

We all experience dry mouth from time to time, often due to extreme thirst. In this case, an easy way to restore moisture in your mouth is to simply drink a glass of water. But for people who suffer from xerostomia, where the dryness is persistent, distressing, and pathological, the symptoms, causes, and consequences for your health are much more complicated.

Dry mouth develops when saliva stops being produced. Saliva is a key part of oral health as it washes away food debris. It helps prevent infection by inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungi in the mouth. That’s why, if left untreated, dry mouth can increase your risk of gum disease, cavities, and mouth infections.

The main symptoms of dry mouth are:

• feeling of stickiness, dryness or burning in the mouth;
• trouble chewing, swallowing, tasting food, or talking;
• chapped lips;
• sores or infections in the mouth or on the tongue.

Dry mouth makes it difficult for people to speak, eat, or swallow. Saliva flushes food particles and bacteria out of the mouth. A decrease in saliva causes difficulty in chewing or swallowing food, as well as rubbing of the mucous membrane with coarse products. Lack of saliva secreted by the glands contributes to the accumulation of bacteria. This increases the risk of developing halitosis (medically referred to as halitosis), tooth decay, infections, or various gum diseases.

Because the taste buds can only taste food dissolved in liquid, people with dry mouth have trouble tasting food. In addition, dry mouth makes it harder to smell.

Treatment of dry mouth in adults

Call your doctor if dry mouth is accompanied by cavities, dry eyes, dry skin, a rash, or joint pain.

Diagnostics

A patient with dry mouth and additional symptoms should see a doctor to see if a specific medical condition (such as Sjögren’s syndrome, if they also have dry eyes and inflamed joints) is causing the symptoms. The doctor will ask the patient about their symptoms and may perform a physical examination. He may run tests to see if the salivary glands are working properly. The doctor may then do a salivary gland biopsy, a procedure in which a piece of tissue is taken and examined under a microscope.

Dry mouth is also a side effect of many medications, so doctors often ask and take medical history. Also, a specialist can exclude alternative causes of dryness if radiation therapy was performed for cancer, or the patient smokes.

Modern treatments

Temporary dry mouth usually resolves after the underlying illness, infection, or medication that caused it is stopped. If the dryness is caused by a specific medical condition, treatment or management of the condition can help reduce the sensation of dry mouth.

The use of artificial saliva can reduce dry mouth. Additionally, you can help yourself by drinking small sips of liquid (preferably water) throughout the day, periodically using sugar-free gum, sucking on sugar-free hard candies or ice chips, using alcohol-free mouth rinses.

Medicines such as pilocarpine can stimulate the salivary glands to produce more saliva. Other medications, such as antihistamines or decongestants, can often worsen dry mouth and should be avoided if possible.

Patients benefit from using a humidifier at night. Try to avoid smoking, drinking caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, and highly acidic lemon juices as these can aggravate dry mouth and patient discomfort.

Prevention of dry mouth in adults at home

To reduce the risks of discomfort from dryness, you should be very disciplined about brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste or using fluoride rinses to prevent cavities. You should avoid sugary or acidic foods and drinks to prevent cavities. You should also visit your dentist regularly. If you have painful and swollen salivary glands, taking painkillers should help relieve the pain.

If you’ve been diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, there are oral medications that can be used to improve your symptoms.

Popular questions and answers

Questions related to dry mouth, we asked to answer dentist Yulia Lapushkina и gastroenterologist Marat Zannatullin.