Xerostomia: what to do against dry mouth?

Do you very often have an unpleasant feeling of dry mouth that persists even after drinking a liter of water? 🥵 You are certainly prone to xerostomia (also called "dry mouth" or dry mouth).

Due to an underproduction of saliva, xerostomia or dry mouth is certainly not serious and most often temporary, but it can seriously harm your oral health in the long term, or even be a sign of a disease. underlying. 🤒

Don't worry, MyVariations explains the symptoms, causes and possible solutions for this famous "dry mouth"...

Each of us has already experienced the impression of a “pasty mouth” on waking up or a significant dry mouth after a sports session, for example. 🏋️‍♀️ Don't worry, this is completely normal. However, when this sensation is persistent, it is called xerostomia.

This condition, which can become truly embarrassing on a daily basis, is due to a malfunction of the salivary glands, causing insufficient secretion of saliva 💧 (or even no secretion at all! 😱).

It is important to note that saliva plays a particularly important role in maintaining our oral and overall health. Indeed, it lubricates our mouth in order to protect it against the spread of certain bacteria in the mouth 🦠, it also has a cleaning role, and facilitates the digestion of food. 🍝 Saliva also makes swallowing easier, and especially speech 🗣! Consequently, when too little or no saliva is secreted, these functions are not ensured and oral disorders appear.

The most common symptoms of xerostomia (or dry mouth) are:

• A continuous feeling of “pasty” and dry mouth 🏜
• Sore throat 😮‍💨
• The appearance of small cracks at the corners of the lips 👄
• The impression of an irritated tongue of burns on the tongue 👅
• The appearance of a whitish layer on his tongue that may announce a coated tongue
• A significant thirst 🥤
• Difficulty swallowing, swallowing, chewing or even speaking properly 🤭
• Halitosis ( or bad breath ) 🥴
• A change or decrease in the taste of food 🥣
• A sour sensation in the mouth 🍋

The symptoms of xerostomia and their severity can vary from case to case, but risk leading to other more serious complications if they are not treated in time and if they persist over time. We can mention in particular:

• A decrease in sense of smell for some people 👃
• A risk of oral mycosis 🍄
• Gingival diseases ( inflammation, gingivitis ) or an increase in dental caries. 🦷

Nevertheless, we want to separate temporary and transient oral dryness (due to slight dehydration most of the time) from permanent xerostomia which can result from the consequences of cancer and radiotherapy treatments. ☝️

There are multiple factors capable of aggravating or provoking xerostomia. However, dentists were able to notice that 3 of them were particularly common.

First, “dry mouth” can be the result of taking certain medications. 💊 It is also the first cause of xerostomia, which is one of the side effects of a good number of treatments, in particular those against high blood pressure, depression and anxiety, colds, allergies of all kinds. , some bronchodilators (yes, against asthma! 😉).

Then, dry mouth can result from a particular disease or infection. We can mention the most common, namely Parkinson's disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis or hypertension. 🩸

Note that if the cause of the dry mouth is medication and becomes really bothersome, you can ask for a treatment adjustment or a change of molecule (if possible). However, in the majority of these cases, the xerostomia disappears after the end of the treatment. 🩺

You will surely have noticed that the diseases and infections mentioned above are generally associated with advanced age (although they can also occur in younger people). 👵🏼 Indeed, xerostomia is much more common and widespread in people over 65, but it can also appear at any age.

In addition, for you smokers, xerostomia is one of the frequent consequences of smoking 🚬 , but it can also be caused by the consumption of certain drugs such as methamphetamines for example.

First of all, certain measures against xerostomia can be taken and applied on a daily basis to see improvements. Dentists recommend in particular:

• Limiting the consumption of alcohol, coffee and soft drinks which can aggravate symptoms 🍷
• The cessation or significant limitation of smoking, also an aggravating factor of xerostomia 😶 🌫️
• Increasing water consumption (drinking regularly in small quantities) to keep a mouth sufficiently moistened and lubricated 🚰
• Adding an air humidifier to your room to limit discomfort during the night 🛏
• The use of an alcohol-free mouthwash 🧪
• Chewing sugar-free chewing gum to stimulate the salivary glands 🍬

If you see little or no improvement after applying these tips, you can go for saliva substitutes available in pharmacies 🏥 (to be used 1 or 2 times a day), usually in the form of lubricating sprays. Other drugs exist, but only on prescription. Also, it is essential to consult your doctor as well as your dentist 👩 ⚕️ to establish an accurate diagnosis and adapt the treatment to your needs.

Finally, it is essential to maintain the best oral hygiene possible if you suffer from xerostomia. 😷

To do this, we recommend:

• Daily and thorough brushing of teeth with the right method 🪥; 2 to 3 times a day for 2 minutes, using a toothbrush with delicate soft bristles with enamel and a suitable toothpaste. Most dentists recommend the use of an electric toothbrush in order to better remove dental plaque and reduce the risk of cavities as much as possible. 🤕
• The one from MyVariations, equipped with sonic technology, provides deep but gentle brushing, allowing optimal plaque removal. 🤗 In addition, the vibrations of the hairs of the head help to stimulate the production of saliva, a very good point if you suffer from too much dry mouth. Its built-in 2-minute timer also makes it much easier to stick to the duration of a good tooth brushing. 😋

Discover our toothbrushes

• Regular medical appointments at the dentist (and yes, we can never tell you enough 😚), very important point especially in case of xerostomia, in order to prevent and treat (if necessary) the appearance of cavities or other affections oral. 🩹

And There you go ! Now that you know more about xerostomia, you will be able to recognize its symptoms and adapt the treatment of this rather disabling dry mouth (without forgetting to consult a doctor and your dentist beforehand). 👌

To inform you about other oral hygiene topics, this is the place to click 😁: https://myvariations.com/blogs/infos