Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a condition that is caused by decreased levels of saliva in the mouth. These decreased levels are due to a problem in the salivary glands. However, many people are not aware of the functions of saliva in the mouth. This lack of knowledge leads to them playing down dry mouth as a health risk. Why is Saliva Important?
Saliva is a crucial part of your digestive system. It helps lubricate your food, making it easier to roll it into bolus for swallowing. It also lubricates the throat, creating a slippery slope for the food to pass easily down your throat. Saliva also helps clean your mouth by washing down food particles that are not reachable by your toothbrush. By rinsing your mouth, the saliva also carries away harmful bacteria from your teeth. Therefore, this rinsing action helps you to avoid tooth and gum disease. By washing away bacteria, saliva essentially helps you to keep your breath fresh. It also helps you regulate your speech by keeping the mouth wet. Saliva also helps you to taste and enjoy food. Reduced saliva levels make it harder to chew and swallow food. This difficulty leads to low appetite in most dry mouth patients.
Dry Mouth Causes
Most cases of dry mouth come as a side effect of certain medicines. Some non-prescription drugs and prescription drugs, such as high blood pressure medication, have also been known to cause dry mouth. Cancer radiation therapy is also a culprit in this category. This is because chemotherapy might sometimes cause saliva to get thicker, leading patients to experience a dry mouth.
Treatment of Dry Mouth
A dry mouth can quickly grow from a minor inconvenience to a full-blown health risk. When treating dry mouth, we consider your history to see what caused it. The result will determine the course of treatment. We recommend you book an appointment at our offices as opposed to trying to solve the problem yourself. Contact us for more information regarding which medications lead to dry mouth.
