“Having a dry mouth” - almost everyone knows the phrase. However, hardly anyone knows that dry oral mucosa and constant dry mouth can actually be a serious health problem.
A dry mouth now and then is nothing unusual. However, a constantly dry mouth - even despite drinking - can indicate an illness.
This is because the oral cavity is normally kept moist by six large and countless small salivary glands. Up to 1.5 liters of saliva are “produced” per day in a healthy mouth.
Why is saliva so important?
Salivation is an important function for our body. Saliva serves to remineralize the teeth, is responsible for self-cleaning in the oral cavity and ensures that no caries can develop.
Saliva “washes away” food residues that serve as food for oral bacteria from the teeth.
At the same time, it buffers acids that could enter the mouth through acidic foods and attack the tooth enamel.
What does dry mouth actually mean?
Dry mouth literally feels like having dust in your mouth. The mucous membranes in your mouth dry out and it feels as if your tongue is stuck to the roof of your mouth. This can be caused temporarily by stress or anxiety.
You then don't have enough saliva to keep your mouth moist.
If the condition lasts longer and it really is extreme dry mouth, then there may be something more serious behind it.
Typical symptoms of dry mouth
Unfortunately, the symptoms of dry mouth are not limited to the mouth itself:
- Burning sensation in the mouth: due to the lack of saliva, the oral mucosa becomes sensitive and can burn. Foci of inflammation also become established more quickly.
- Furry tongue: The tongue feels leathery and furry due to dehydration.
- Dry throat: The dryness is rarely limited to the mouth area. The throat area also feels dry and scratchy as a result.
- Sore throat: If the dry mouth lasts longer, the lack of moisturizing of the throat area can also lead to pain.
- Chapped lips: A dehydrated mouth usually also leads to dry, chapped and cracked lips.
- Mouth sores: The sensitive areas at the edges of the mouth become cracked and sore.
- Difficulty chewing and swallowing: Those who produce too little saliva also notice this when eating - chewing and swallowing become much more difficult and it even has an effect when speaking - the tongue literally sticks.
- Toothache: as the acid in the mouth cannot be neutralized by the saliva, food residue tends to stick and the minerals provided by the saliva are also missing, the tooth cannot remineralize and the caries bacteria have free rein.
Possible causes of dry mouth
Dry mouth can have many causes. Some of them are harmless and regulate themselves. Others, however, are more serious.
What many people don't know is that even our psyche can have an effect on dry mouth.
- Nervousness or anxiety: When we are tense, anxious or have stage fright, we literally stop spitting.
- Prolonged speaking: People who have just given a long talk have actually “talked their mouths dry”.
- Singers and frequent speakers: They are constantly straining their voice. Their mucous membranes also lose moisture permanently as a result.
- Mouth breathing: Anyone who breathes a lot through their mouth as a result of a cold dries out their mucous membranes due to the constant supply of air.
- Dusty environment: Dust and dry ambient air affect our mucous membranes - this can lead to dry mouth in the short term.
- Heat or fever: High (body) temperatures dehydrate us. This is also noticeable in the mouth.
- Not drinking enough: We also become dehydrated and our mouth area feels drier.
- Dental diseases: Inflammation in the jaw or gums affects the mucous membranes in the mouth. This results in a dry, sometimes furry feeling.
Possible consequences of persistent dry mouth
- Medication: Some medications cause dry mouth as a side effect. These include a number of sleeping pills, psychotropic drugs and blood pressure medication.
- Reduced ability to produce saliva: This usually occurs as a result of a serious illness such as diabetes or a hormonal imbalance. Incidentally, the menopause also has such side effects.
- Smoking: Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, thus inhibiting blood flow and leading to dry mouth. In addition, smoke particles adhere to the oral mucosa, drying it out and increasing the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth, which can lead to tooth and gum problems.
Dry mouth due to increased mouth breathing
Most of us have experienced this phenomenon at some point:
- You've got a real cold. Your sinuses and the entire nasal area are so blocked that it is practically impossible for air to get through.
- This forces you to breathe through your mouth. As we usually catch a cold during the colder months, we usually also breathe in dust and dry air from the heating.
- As a result, our mouth dries out.
Dry mouth as a side effect of certain medications
Dry mouth is a side effect of taking certain medications.
These drugs affect certain glandular functions in our body by acting on nerves or hormones.
This applies in particular to drugs that affect our autonomic nervous system:
- Psychotropic drugs,
- sleeping pills and tranquillizers,
- and high blood pressure medication,
- but also eye medication or drugs for bladder weakness.
As older people in particular often take medication, they also suffer from dry mouth more frequently.
Dry mouth due to psychological problems
Mental problems can also be the trigger for dry mouth.
Under severe psychological stress, our body throttles a number of organ functions. This can lead to a reduction in saliva flow.
This can cause us to stop spitting due to fear or fright. If the state of physical stress lasts longer, as is the case with depression or anxiety disorders, dry mouth occurs.
Dry mouth due to insufficient fluids
Unfortunately, this is something that many of us are familiar with:
We've forgotten to drink again. As adults, we should drink around two to three liters of water a day. If you drink too little, you become dehydrated, which reduces saliva production.
Dry mouth at night
While we sleep, our saliva production is naturally reduced. When we wake up, we therefore often have a dry mouth.
If we also sleep in a heated room or snore, our mucous membranes dry out even more.
Drinking alcohol in the evening also promotes nocturnal dehydration and therefore dry mouth.
Dry mouth due to low humidity
Dry mouth is more common in winter than in summer. This is due to the very dry air caused by heating rooms.
Heating air dries out our mucous membranes. It is therefore ideal to air rooms several times a day and also place water containers or humidifiers in the room.
Suitable household remedies for a dry mouth
Various household remedies can help with a dry mouth. What helps particularly well against a dry mouth:
- Drink a lot: water is still the best remedy for dry mouth! Provide your body with sufficient fluids - water or unsweetened teas are ideal for this.
Sweets: Sucking sugar-free sweets promotes salivation.
Chewing gum: Chewing gum also stimulates salivation. - Oral hygiene: Good oral hygiene promotes salivation and prevents inflammation.
- Do not smoke: Cigarette smoke and nicotine dry out the mucous membranes in the mouth and are also extremely harmful to health in other ways. So it's better to stay away from cigarettes.
- Eat a balanced diet: Eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in vitamins and nutrients also promotes healthy oral flora. Coffee and alcohol, on the other hand, dry out the mucous membranes.
Seeing a doctor for dry mouth: when is it time for medical help?
Everyone has a dry mouth from time to time.
However, if you notice this all the time, your lips and the edges of your mouth crack and the dry mouth affects swallowing or speaking over a longer period of time, then you should consult your doctor to rule out a more serious cause.
If your body is actually producing too little saliva, special mouth sprays or pastilles can be prescribed or, if necessary, your medication can be changed or adjusted.
Possible consequences of persistent dry mouth
Dry mouth that persists over a longer period of time can have unpleasant consequences for you.
- Increased risk of dental problems: A dry mouth collects more bacteria that attack your teeth and gums. Possible consequences can be tooth decay, gingivitis or periodontitis.
- Bad breath: Unfortunately, more bacteria also means more bad odors. This leads to chronic bad breath.
- Increased risk of infection: Bacteria that multiply in the mouth can easily spread throughout the body. You therefore generally have a higher risk of a bacterial infection. A dry mouth is also less effective at fighting off viruses and can therefore also promote viral infections.
- Loss of taste: If bacteria colonize the oral cavity unhindered, there is an increased risk of inflammation. This can lead to loss of taste.
- Tissue damage: If the flow of saliva is impaired, the entire oral cavity becomes rough over time. This damages your tissue and can also result in inflammation of the salivary glands.
Preventing dry mouth
Dry mouth can be prevented with a few simple tricks.
Drinking plenty of fluids is your best safeguard. Adding lemon juice or herbs such as mint or sage to your water will also stimulate salivation. You can also chew mint or sage without water. This also ensures a pleasant mouth odor.
Or you can treat yourself to a piece of pineapple. The enzymes in the fruit stimulate salivation. If the pineapple is frozen, even more saliva is produced.
Despite all the tricks and home remedies, careful oral hygiene is and remains the be-all and end-all. Brush your teeth twice a day with a high-quality product that both gently cleans your teeth and cares for your mouth - we recommend the organic tooth powder from teethlovers.
Conclusion
We are all familiar with dry mouth. In most cases, it is a temporary condition and absolutely harmless. However, if the “dust in the mouth” lasts longer, you should take it seriously and seek medical advice.