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Dry mouth syndrome: symptoms of xerostomia
Dry mouth syndrome (xerostomia) occurs when the production of saliva decreases. This leads to discomfort in the mouth. Therefore, you should consult a doctor, undergo examination and, if necessary, treatment.
In most cases, xerostomia occurs in older people, but dry mouth can occur in a young person as well. The amount of saliva can decrease for various reasons, but in any case, it causes discomfort, and may also indicate an illness.
What are the symptoms and causes of xerostomia
There are many symptoms of dry mouth.
Among them, in addition to the most uncomfortable sensation of dry mouth, there are signs such as:
- thick, stringy saliva
- feeling sore throat, especially when swallowing
- feeling of “rough” tongue
- burning sensation in the mouth
- bad breath
- cracks on the lips and in the corners of the mouth
- distortion of taste
These symptoms tend to get worse at night. In some cases, it is difficult for a person suffering from increased dry mouth to talk, swallow, and chew food. Some people even get swelling. Often, these symptoms are accompanied by nausea and even vomiting.
Why does dry mouth syndrome occur at all? For many people, especially emotional ones, with increased sensitivity, the performance of the salivary glands decreases sharply with strong nervous tension. This is a normal situation from a physiological point of view. After calming down, relieving stress, as a rule, the production of saliva returns to normal fairly quickly. In this case, do not sound the alarm, this process is considered the norm.
However, often dry mouth also occurs due to a number of diseases, for example, diabetes mellitus, infections of the oral cavity, as well as due to a stroke.
Very often, dry mouth syndrome is just a consequence of taking various medications. It is known that over 400 types of drugs have such side effects!
Among them are a variety of drugs:
- painkillers
- decongestants
- antihistamines
- to lower blood pressure
- diuretics
- antidepressants, etc.
The side effect manifests itself in different ways, depending on the characteristics of the drug itself and the individual response of the patient. It can be mild or very strong, causing noticeable discomfort.
If a patient is undergoing treatment for cancer, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, they may also develop dry mouth syndrome.
How to get rid of xerostomia
If you experience one or more of the symptoms described above, you should see your dentist. After examining the oral cavity, it is necessary to answer in detail all the doctor’s questions regarding previous diseases, as well as those medications that you have recently taken or are currently taking.
Depending on the causes and degree of xerostomia development, the dentist will either recommend you how to get rid of this unpleasant syndrome, or refer you to a consultation with a doctor of another profile.
There are many very simple and effective ways to increase saliva production and get rid of persistent dry mouth. For example, there are special gum, sugar-free gum. When chewing them, the work of the salivary glands is stimulated, that is, saliva begins to be actively produced.
Mouth moisturizers can be used as sprays, gels, or mouthwashes. There are also medications that stimulate saliva production.
They can only be used as directed by a doctor, especially if you are taking any other medications or have serious medical conditions, such as kidney failure.
Finally, the easiest and most effective way is to increase your fluid intake. It should be drunk a little, but often. It is best to drink water slightly acidified with lemon juice or unsweetened tea. You can also suck on small pieces of ice.
In addition, it is advisable for people with dry mouth syndrome to completely abandon the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, as well as sugary carbonated drinks and strong coffee (or at least significantly reduce their consumption).
It should be borne in mind that with a lack of saliva, tooth enamel breaks down faster, so you need to pay special attention to cleaning your teeth and interdental spaces, as well as regularly visit the dentist
Are there any other treatments for dry mouth syndrome? Yes, in the most severe cases of xerostomia, when none of the above methods help, doctors use methods of stimulating nerve endings, acupuncture, etc. There is also evidence of the use of tissue transplantation and gene technologies as promising methods of treatment, but such methods are rarely used. In any case, you need to find a good doctor for further treatment and follow-up. Do not try to cure xerostomia on your own, it is fraught with serious complications.
Also interesting to read: diabetes mellitus.