How does Xerostomia or dry mouth affect oral health?
Dry mouth, or xerostomia, happens when you don’t make enough saliva (spit). Saliva is important for mouth health. A lack of saliva can lead to tooth decay. Dry mouth symptoms include discomfort, sore throat and swallowing problems. Treatment for dry mouth includes steps to increase saliva production. Appointments 216.444.8500
How to relieve the symptoms of hyposalivation?
So what causes dry mouth (or xerostomia) to occur? The most common cause of dry mouth is the use of certain medications. However, certain diseases can …
Does losartan cause xerostomia?
Jul 02, 2019 · Xerostomia or dry mouth, is a common, but sometimes overlooked, condition that is typically associated with salivary gland hypofunction (i.e., the objective measurement of reduced salivary flow). 1, 2 Reduced salivary flow can cause difficulties in tasting, chewing, swallowing, and speaking; it can also increase the chance of developing dental decay, …
How to cure dry mouth?
Jul 29, 2021 · 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...
What is the most common cause of xerostomia?
There are numerous causes of xerostomia; the most common cause is medication side effects, followed by Sjogren syndrome (SS) and radiotherapy and other autoimmune diseases in no particular order. Irrespective of a specific etiology, the patient's primary complaint is dry mouth.4 Jun 2021
How do you cure xerostomia?
Speech-language pathologist Kimberly Webster provides tips to help you find relief from dry mouth.Water. Sip water throughout the day.Humidifier. ... A Water Spray Bottle. ... Sugarless Candy, Lozenges or Gum. ... More Moisture at Mealtime. ... Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol. ... Alcohol-free Mouthwashes. ... Saliva Substitutes.More items...
What is a common cause of xerostomia in older adults?
Xerostomia, or dry mouth, is common among elderly people and is typically associated with decreased salivary gland function. Causes of xerostomia in the geriatric population have been attributed to the use of medications, chronic disorders, and radiation therapy to the head and neck region.
What are the symptoms of xerostomia?
Symptoms include:Bad breath.Constant sore throat.Difficulty eating, speaking or swallowing.Dry feeling in your nose.Hoarseness.Increased thirst.Lip, tongue and mouth sores or pain.Taste disorders.More items...•2 Mar 2021
What foods cause more saliva?
Taste buds on your tongue play a big role in how much saliva you make. Pop something spicy or very sour in your mouth and your taste buds react by telling your body to make more saliva. Acidic foods tend to trigger a lot more saliva than sweet foods.31 Oct 2021
Is yogurt good for dry mouth?
However, yogurt showed a significant increase in saliva secretion compared to baseline than lemon juice. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that yogurt is a potential candidate for the treatment of dry mouth.
What is a natural remedy for dry mouth at night?
Home treatments for dry mouthDrink water. Sipping water and staying hydrated can help relieve dry mouth. ... Avoid certain medications. ... Kick dehydrating habits. ... Suck on sugarless candies. ... Chew sugarless gum. ... Improve overall oral care. ... Use alcohol-free mouthwash. ... Avoid breathing through your mouth.More items...
What foods help with dry mouth?
More examples of soft natural foods that are helpful for people with dry mouth include tender meats like chicken and fish, smooth peanut butter, soups, canned fruits, soft cooked/blended vegetables like carrots or celery, mashed potatoes, soft-cooked pasta, oatmeal, ice cream, pudding, and popsicles.27 Feb 2018
Can High BP cause dry mouth?
So, if you have high blood pressure, be aware that many of the medications you may take for the condition have the side effect of reducing your salivary flow. Simply put, this means you may suffer from a dry mouth and all the complications that come with it.25 Oct 2017
How is xerostomia diagnosed?
Diagnosis of xerostomia requires careful evaluation of signs and symptoms, with clinical extra-oral and intra-oral exami- nations, assessment of salivary gland function by measurement of resting and stimulated flow rates, and, in some cases, biopsy of minor salivary glands.29 Feb 1996
What causes xerostomia?
Dry mouth can be due to certain health conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, yeast infection (thrush) in your mouth or Alzheimer's disease, or due to autoimmune diseases, such as Sjogren's syndrome or HIV/AIDS. Snoring and breathing with your mouth open also can contribute to dry mouth. Tobacco and alcohol use.1 Feb 2018
What is the difference between dry mouth and xerostomia?
Dry mouth is also called "xerostomia." It happens when the body's salivary glands do not make enough saliva, or spit, to keep the mouth moist. Saliva is needed for chewing, swallowing, tasting, and talking. A dry mouth can make these activities difficult or uncomfortable.
What is Xerostomia?
You may not be familiar with the medical term xerostomia, yet you probably know what it is - dry mouth! Many people have personally experienced dry mouth for one reason or another - are you one of them? Basically, xerostomia occurs because the salivary glands aren't producing enough saliva to keep the mouth wet.
Causes of Xerostomia
So what causes dry mouth (or xerostomia) to occur? The most common cause of dry mouth is the use of certain medications. However, certain diseases can cause dry mouth too, and these include diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and Sjogren's syndrome. In some cases, mouth cancer may be to blame, as well as cancer treatments and nervous system damage.
Symptoms of Xerostomia
Obviously, the most prominent symptom is...a dry mouth! There isn't enough saliva being produced to keep the mouth or throat wet, and this can cause general discomfort. Lack of saliva can make swallowing, eating, and speaking difficult.
What are the three major salivary glands?
Overview. You have three pairs of major salivary glands — parotid, sublingual and submandibular. Each gland has its own tube (duct) leading from the gland to the mouth. Dry mouth, or xerostomia (zeer-o-STOE-me-uh), refers to a condition in which the salivary glands in your mouth don't make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet.
Why does saliva help with dry mouth?
Saliva helps prevent tooth decay by neutralizing acids produced by bacteria , limiting bacterial growth and washing away food particles. Saliva also enhances your ability to taste and makes it easier to chew and swallow.
What does it mean when you have a dry tongue?
Dryness or a feeling of stickiness in your mouth. Saliva that seems thick and stringy. Bad breath. Difficulty chewing, speaking and swallowing. Dry or sore throat and hoarseness. Dry or grooved tongue. A changed sense of taste. Problems wearing dentures.
Does saliva help with digestion?
In addition, enzymes in saliva aid in digestion. Decreased saliva and dry mouth can range from being merely a nuisance to something that has a major impact on your general health and the health of your teeth and gums, as well as your appetite and enjoyment of food. Treatment for dry mouth depends on the cause.
Why do older people have dry mouth?
Contributing factors include the use of certain medications, changes in the body's ability to process medication, inadequate nutrition, and having long-term health problems. Cancer therapy. Chemotherapy drugs can change the nature of saliva and the amount produced.
What happens if you don't have enough saliva?
If you don't have enough saliva and develop dry mouth, this can lead to: Increased plaque, tooth decay and gum disease. Mouth sores. Yeast infection in your mouth (thrush) Sores or split skin at the corners of your mouth, or cracked lips. Poor nutrition from having problems with chewing and swallowing.
Can over the counter medications cause dry mouth?
Hundreds of medications, including many over -the-counter drugs, produce dry mouth as a side effect. Among the more likely types to cause problems are some of the drugs used to treat depression, high blood pressure and anxiety, as well as some antihistamines, decongestants, muscle relaxants and pain medications. Aging.
Why is saliva important in the oral cavity?
Knowledge of the oral cavity and its internal milieu are necessary to guide interventions that will prevent further episodes of xerostomia. Saliva is essential to oral health. Without saliva, impairments can be seen in the form of tooth decay, bacterial or fungal overgrowth, speech impairment and more.
What is Xerostomia in dentistry?
Xerostomia is a symptom of unusual mouth dryness. This is usually related to changes in the chemical composition of the saliva, dehydration or hyposalivation due to some form of underlying mechanism in the salivary glands themselves. Primary care physicians are concerned with oral soft tissue and the teeth.
Is xerostomia a complaint?
Xerostomia is a fairly common complaint of patients in the outpatient department. Care must be taken to ensure that this is a manifestation of an underlying disease that requires immediate medical attention. There are a lot of causes and accurate diagnosis must be done before the proper treatment for xerostomia can begin.
Why is plasma volume important?
Plasma volume is a good measurement of body water status. Once the plasma volume is decreased due to low water intake the body takes measures to conserve water. One is by decreasing urinary output. This diverts the water back to the body to maintain fluid osmolality. Major causes of xerostomia are medications.
What causes dry mouth?
In xerostomia, alteration in the structures causes the dry mouth sensation and need to be identified so that proper xerostomia management can be initiated. The saliva is also composed of a lot of antimicrobial agents such as lysozymes, oxidase and immunoglobulins that help keep the normal flora of the mouth in control, without these agents, ...
What causes xerostomia?
Causes. The major causes of xerostomia are conditions that stem from low plasma volume (in the case of dehydration), hyposalivation, and radiation therapy to the salivary glands or blunt trauma that causes a blockage in the secretion of saliva. Numerous other glands are also present in the mouth that are responsible for producing saliva, ...
What is the aim of treatment for xerostomia?
The aim of treatment to reduce the incidence of xerostomia is aimed at treating the underlying cause. Withdrawals of medications that cause the xerostomia are a first step. If withdrawn, the patient can expect xerostomia to resolve.
Why do we need saliva?
We all need saliva to moisten and cleanse our mouths and digest food. Saliva also prevents infection by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. When you don't make enough saliva, your mouth gets dry and uncomfortable. Fortunately, many treatments can help against dry mouth, also called xerostomia.
What causes dry mouth?
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 how much saliva you make and aggravate dry mouth.
How to prevent tooth decay?
Preventing tooth decay. Increasing the flow of saliva, if possible. Managing Causes of Dry Mouth. If you think your dry mouth is caused by certain medication you're taking, talk to your doctor. The doctor may adjust the dose you're taking or switch you to a drug that doesn't cause dry mouth.
Can sedatives cause dry mouth?
Dry mouth can also be 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. ...
What does it mean when you have a sore in your mouth?
Sores in the mouth; sores or split skin at the corners of the mouth; cracked lips. A dry feeling in the throat. A burning or tingling sensation in the mouth and especially on the tongue. A dry, red, raw tongue. Problems speaking or trouble tasting, chewing, and swallowing. Hoarseness, dry nasal passages, sore throat.
How to keep your teeth healthy?
Visiting your dentist for a checkup and cleaning at least twice a year; your dentist may recommend a daily fluoride rinse or fluoride gel to keep your teeth healthy. Increasing the Flow of Saliva With Dry Mouth.
Can dry mouth cause thrush?
Besides causing the symptoms mentioned above, dry mouth also raises your risk of gingivitis ( gum disease ), tooth decay, and mouth infections, such as thrush. Dry mouth can also make it hard to wear dentures.
Why is saliva important for teeth?
Also avoid spicy or salty food because they can cause irritation. Saliva is important to maintain the health of your teeth and mouth . Taking these steps to protect your teeth may also help your dry mouth condition: Brush with a fluoride toothpaste and floss your teeth.
What is the best mouthwash for dry mouth?
Mouthwashes designed for dry mouth, especially ones with xylitol, can be effective, such as Biotene Dry Mouth Oral Rinse or Act Dry Mouth Mouthwash, which also offer protection against tooth decay. If you have severe dry mouth, your doctor or dentist may: Prescribe medication that stimulates saliva.
How to diagnose dry mouth?
Diagnosis. To determine the cause of your dry mouth, your doctor likely will review your medical history and all medications you're taking, including over-the-counter medications, and examine your mouth. Sometimes you may need blood tests, imaging scans of your salivary glands or tests that measure how much saliva you produce to identify ...
Can you use mouthwash with alcohol?
Don't use a mouthwash that contains alcohol. All tobacco. If you smoke or chew tobacco, stop, because tobacco products can dry and irritate your mouth. Over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants. These can worsen your dry mouth. Sugary or acidic foods and candies. These increase the risk of tooth decay.
What is the best way to stimulate saliva production?
Prescribe medication that stimulates saliva. Your doctor may prescribe pilocarpine (Salagen) or cevimeline (Evoxac) to stimulate saliva production. Protect your teeth. To prevent cavities, your dentist might fit you for fluoride trays, which you fill with fluoride and wear over your teeth at night.
How to help dry mouth?
In addition to the advice from your doctor, these tips may help relieve your dry mouth symptoms: Sip water or sugar-free drinks or suck ice chips throughout the day to moisten your mouth, and drink water during meals to aid chewing and swallowing.
What to do before a dental appointment?
What you can do. Before your appointment, make a list of: Any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for your appointment. Key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes, which may contribute to dry mouth. All prescribed medications, vitamins, herbs, ...
What Is Xerostomia?
Anatomy & Physiology of Oral Mucosa
Causes
Treatment
Conclusion