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Dry Mouth Center - Chapel Hill, NC

WebMD Physician Directory

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Dry Mouth

What Causes Dry Mouth?

There are several causes of dry mouth, also called xerostomia. 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 can 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 Sjögren'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.
  • ...

Recommended Reading Related to Dry Mouth

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  • The steps in quitting, each of which requires special attention and efforts by the smoker, are getting ready to quit, quitting, and staying quit.
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  • In nicotine replacement therapy, which is the cornerstone of most smoking cessation programs, another source of nicotine is substituted while the cigarettes are stopped. (The idea of nicotine replacement therapy is to eliminate both...

Emergency Contact for Chapel Hill

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Chapel Hill Hospitals *

UNC Health Care
101 Manning Dr
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919)966-4131

Duke University Medical Center
2301 Erwin Rd
Durham, NC 27710
(919)684-8111

Durham VA Medical Center
508 Fulton St
Durham, NC 27705
(919)286-0411

Durham Regional Hospital
3643 N Roxboro Rd
Durham, NC 27704
(919)470-4000

Select Specialty Hospital Durham
3643 N Roxboro Rd
Durham, NC 27704
(919)470-9000

North Carolina Specialty Hospital
3916 Ben Franklin Blvd
Durham, NC 27704
(919)956-9300

WakeMed Cary Hospital
1900 Kildaire Farm Rd
Cary, NC 27518
(919)350-2000

Rex Healthcare
4420 Lake Boone Trl
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919)784-3100

John Umstead Hospital
1003 12th St
Butner, NC 27509
(919)575-7211

Duke Raleigh Hospital
3400 Wake Forest Rd
Raleigh, NC 27609
(919)954-3000

Chatham Hospital
300 W Third St
Siler City, NC 27344
(919)663-2113

Alamance Regional Medical Center
1240 Huffman Mill Rd
Burlington, NC 27215
(336)538-7000

WakeMed Raleigh Campus
3000 New Bern Ave
Raleigh, NC 27610
(919)350-8000

Holly Hill Hospital
3019 Falstaff Rd
Raleigh, NC 27610
(919)250-7000

Central Carolina Hospital
1135 Carthage St
Sanford, NC 27330
(919)774-2100

Person Memorial Hospital
615 Ridge Rd
Roxboro, NC 27573
(336)599-2121

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