Dry Mouth

What Is Dry Mouth?
Your mouth needs saliva to be able to work properly. Saliva contains enzymes which help to break down your food and help you swallow. It also acts as a cleanser, constantly washing around your mouth and teeth, helping to keep your teeth clean and fight decay. Dry mouth is a condition which affects the flow of saliva, causing your mouth to feel dry.

Signs and Symptoms
▪ Dry mouth
▪ Thick and sticky saliva, making it difficult to speak or swallow
▪ ‘prickly’ or burning sensation in the mouth
▪ Mouth adopting a red and shiny appearance
▪ Soreness, and sensitivity to certain foods

What Can Cause It?
▪ Side effect of certain medications, especially heart, blood pressure and depression tablets
▪ Medical treatment, such as radiotherapy or surgery to the head and neck
▪ Medical conditions, such as diabetes, lupus and Sjogren’s Syndrome
▪ Women who have had their menopause and are taking HRT

What Can My Dentist Do To Help?
Saliva is very important in the fight against tooth decay. It contains a number of ingredients which help to fight the bacteria that form dental plaque and cause decay and gum disease. Having less saliva can also affect the taste of food and makes eating drier foods difficult.
Sometimes it can affect speech and make people more likely to have bad breath. Unfortunately there seems to be no way of actually preventing the problem. There are a number of products designed to provide moisture and comfort, usually gels or sprays. Some have extra ingredients which may help prevent tooth and gum problems. There are also specially formulated products, such as toothpastes and mouthwashes to help with your cleaning too.
Your dentist or hygienist will be able to give you dietary advice and tell you how to care for your teeth and gums properly. It is important to brush using a Fluoride toothpaste for two minutes twice a day. Fluoride has been proven to reduce dental decay by 40% due to the higher risk of dental decay and gum disease, which can progress faster in a dry mouth, it is very important to visit your dentist regularly, every 6 months.

What Can I Do To Relieve The Symptoms?
Some people find sipping water, or sucking sugar-free sweets helps in the short term. It is very important to use sugar-free products, as dry mouth can make patients more likely to have dental decay. Chewing sugar-free gum can also help as it encourages your mouth to make saliva