Dry Mouth/Xerostomia

Xerostomia, also known as dry mouth, is a condition that can be very uncomfortable. If you encounter this issue, you may want to seek professional assistance to help diagnose and start a treatment plan. It is an essential factor always to keep your mouth hydrated to produce saliva. Saliva helps with food digestion and to clean food particles and debris inside the mouth.
When you start to feel and suspect that you may have a dry mouth, you may wonder how it was caused. It can be simple as a side effect with certain types of medication such as anxiety medications, antihistamines, muscle relaxants, to name a few.

• Other side effects can be caused by infections or diseases such as HIV/AIDS, chronic diabetes, or stroke. Often in severe cases, it can be caused by medical treatments like chemotherapy or radiation.
• Other known conditions that you can easily see when you have a dry mouth are that lips tend to sore or crack. It can also be uncomfortable to talk and swallow as it is hard to wash down the food without enough saliva.
• The treatment option is available when you suspect that you have a dry mouth. A prescription oral rinse can help bring back moisture into the mouth by your periodontist.
• Remember to drink plenty of water to keep your mouth hydrated.
• There are ways to relieve the dry mouth, like sucking on sugar-free candies or chew gum to motion saliva production.
• Tobacco and caffeine may worsen your dry mouth problem, so it is best to avoid them.