How Can I Treat Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)?

While there are many different causes of dry mouth, there are remarkably few real treatments. If your condition is brought on by pharmaceutical drugs, your physician may be able to adjust your prescription to provide relief. If the way you sleep is causing dry mouth, you can take steps to improve your sleeping habits.

But if you are like millions of Xerostomia patients, treating dry mouth isn’t that simple…

There are many ways to find temporary relief, including sipping water regularly, chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on sugar-free candy. Avoiding caffeine, alcohol and tobacco products is a very good idea.

As previously mentioned, taking measures to avoid drying out oral tissues while sleeping, due to snoring or breathing through your mouth, can reduce the severity of your dry mouth symptoms. Humidifiers can also provide added protection while you sleep.

Some healthcare professionals may recommend over-the-counter saliva substitutes or prescription drugs that stimulate saliva generation.

Unfortunately, the side effects of Xerostomia drugs are often more unpleasant than dry mouth symptoms.

Nasty side effects like nausea, headaches, watering eyes, diarrhea and pain around the eyes are forcing the medical community to reevaluate the widespread use of drugs like pilocarpine and cevimeline where other options are feasible.

Read about a study of the effects of pilocarpine and cevimeline on Xerostomia patients

Genuine relief from dry mouth symptoms requires treating the underlying chemical imbalance in your oral tissues. Regardless of the cause, the effects of Xerostomia, at a cellular level can be the result of a decrease in salivary antioxidants.

Saliva contains antioxidants that repair damage caused by free radicals…

Essentially, a decrease in saliva flow robs oral tissues of the ability to heal themselves naturally.

This is one of the most significant factors contributing to increased tooth decay and gum disease among Xerostomia patients.

Learn more about free radicals and the effect of antioxidants…

Increasing antioxidants in saliva will relieve dry mouth symptoms directly.

Treating the root cause of Xerostomia, when possible, is the only way to be rid of the condition entirely. However, boosting antioxidants in saliva offers a natural source of relief without the unpleasant side effects.

Learn more about topical antioxidants.