Dry Mouth
We all need saliva to moisten and cleanse our mouths and digest food. Saliva
also prevents infection by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. When we
don't produce enough saliva, our mouth gets dry and uncomfortable. Fortunately,
there are many effective
treatments for dry mouth.
What causes dry mouth?
There are several causes of dry mouth. These include:
-
Side effect of certain medications. Dry mouth is a common side effect
of many prescription and nonprescription drugs, including drugs used to treat
depression, anxiety, pain, allergies and colds (antihistamines and
decongestants), obesity, acne, epilepsy, hypertension (diuretics), diarrhea,
nausea, psychotic disorders, urinary incontinence, asthma (certain
bronchodilators), and Parkinson's disease. Dry mouth is also a side effect of
muscle relaxants and sedatives.
-
Side effect of certain diseases and infections. Dry mouth can be a
side effect of medical conditions, including Sjogren's syndrome, HIV/AIDS,
Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, anemia, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis,
hypertension, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and mumps.
- Side effect of certain medical treatments. Damage to the salivary
glands, the glands that produce saliva, for example, from radiation to the head
and neck and chemotherapy treatments for cancer, can reduce the amount of
saliva produced.
- Nerve damage. Dry mouth can be a result of nerve damage to the head
and neck area from an injury or surgery.
-
Dehydration. Conditions that lead to dehydration, such as fever,
excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, and burns can cause dry
mouth.
-
Surgical removal of the salivary glands.
-
Lifestyle. Smoking or chewing tobacco can affect saliva production
and aggravate dry mouth. Continuously breathing with your mouth open can also
contribute to the problem.
What are the symptoms of dry mouth?
Common symptoms of dry mouth include:
- A sticky, dry feeling in the mouth
- Frequent thirst
- Sores in the mouth; sores or split skin at the corners of the mouth; cracked lips
- A dry feeling in the throat
- A burning or tingling sensation in the mouth and especially on the tongue
- A dry, red, raw tongue
- Problems speaking or difficulty tasting, chewing and swallowing
- Hoarseness, dry nasal passages, sore throat
- Bad breath
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Dry Mouth
Dehydration »
What is dehydration?
The majority of the body is made up of water, with up to 75% of the body's
weight due to H2O. Most of the water is found within the cells of the body
(intracellular space). The rest is found in what is referred to as the extracellular space,
which consists of the blood vessels (intravascular space) and the spaces between
cells (interstitial space).
Total body water = intracellular space + intravascular space + interstitial
space
Dehydration occurs when the amount of water leaving the body is greater than
the amount being taken in. The body is very dynamic and always changing. This is
especially true with water in the body. We lose water routinely when:
- we breathe and humidified air leaves the body;
- we sweat to cool the body; and
- we
urinate or have a bowel movement to rid the body of waste products.
In a normal
day, a person has to drink a significant amount...
Read the Dehydration article »
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