“What is the treatment for dry mouth?”
My mouth is extremely dry at all times. What is the best treatment for this?
22 Answers
Try biotin products and drink water constantly
Dry mouth can be caused due to age, a side effect of certain medications, or due to an underlying systemic medical condition. It should be professionally evaluated to identify the cause before trying to treat it, otherwise the treatment may be ineffective. Good luck.
Dr. Cyril Tahtadjian
Dr. Cyril Tahtadjian
You need to try to identify the cause of this. Speak to your dentist and GP and try to find out if you can identify a possible cause/s. This is difficult to treat but there are several products on the market that are OTC and can be used to help.
Depending on the cause
Might be a side effect of another drug
Usually mouth rinse and Sialogogues can be used to stimulate saliva as well as chewing gum and sometime Malic or ascot if acid
Might be a side effect of another drug
Usually mouth rinse and Sialogogues can be used to stimulate saliva as well as chewing gum and sometime Malic or ascot if acid
S. Clarke Woodruff
Dentist
The first thing you MUST do is stay hydrated. that means 6-8 8oz glasses of water a day. There are several over the counter products that can help. Biotene is the manufacturer. They are a reputable company and their products have worked well for my patients with xerostomia, dry mouth syndrome. Finally, make sure you know the reason for the dry mouth. The most typical is a side effect of certain medications. Hope this helps.
There is a great product called Oracare that has worked great for our patients with dry mouth. Of course drinking plenty of water, sugar-free candy to stimulate the ducts also help.
There are OTF medicine and washes that can help. A dentist can prescribe something to help with your dry mouth.
There are various products such as the biotene brand which sell mouth rinses, toothpaste and sugarless gum to increase the salivary flow. Sugar free lozenges are always helpful as well. Sometimes switching the kind of medicine you take will help with not having such a dry mouth.
You can purchase over the counter rinses that can help with lubrication. Using xylitol gum is also an option. They even have lubricating sprays at the pharmacies
There are many saliva supplements bioteen is one.
If you can find the cause that would help personalize your treatment
If you can find the cause that would help personalize your treatment
This is best if treated in increments. I usually recommend my patients to try biotene or act dry mouth rinses. Act dry mouth lozenges can be used during the day. There is also something called all day dry mouth spray that can help. If this does not work there are prescription medications that can be given.
Lots of water and biotene mouthwash and toothpaste. This is common especially if you are taking prescription medications.
Try a teaspoon of vegetable oil, spit, then rinse with water. Also, try to determine the underlying reason for the dry mouth. Syndrome or condition? Medication? Discuss these with your primary care physician.
Dry mouth can be a serious problem because our saliva contains minerals that help teeth actually heal early cavities. Without a healthy flow of saliva people can develop severe tooth decay in a short time. Unfortunately dry mouth is a common side effect of many medications. If you have dry mouth you can try using sugar free tart candies which can be found on line. Biotene rinse also can be quite helpful. If you have dry mouth, then regular visits to your dentist become vital.
The best treatment is to know the actual cause of the dry mouth, but for now, chew sugar-free gum or take sugar-free candies, This will help to stimulate the saliva. See your dentist as soon as possible.
Dry mouth or xerostomia is a sticky problem to solve because it affects mini systems not the least of which are the salivary glands which can have obstructions and diminish the flow of saliva to the tongue spaces and the cheeks from the parotid glands which are in the cheeks and the sublingual glands which are under the tongue. An obstruction is called a salad
I am sorry to hear that this is the case. I understand it can be VERY uncomfortable and irritating. The first question that you need to determine is, why is your mouth dry? If it is medication-related, it must be determined what the benefits of the medication are. Most often, they are prescribed for the greater good. If not, stop taking what is causing the dry mouth.
Is it related to surgery or cancer treatments?
In any case, if it is something that must simply be treated, there are many products on the market to help with salivary flow such as rinses, lozenges and gums. I think the best are those that are sweetened by XYLITOL. This is a sugar that bacteria in the mouth can’t metabolize or use to create the acids that cause cavities. There are other medications that can be prescribed to increase salivary flow, but these seem to have fallen out of favor. The other and most “low-tech” solution is just to keep water on hand and sip as necessary.
EJC
Is it related to surgery or cancer treatments?
In any case, if it is something that must simply be treated, there are many products on the market to help with salivary flow such as rinses, lozenges and gums. I think the best are those that are sweetened by XYLITOL. This is a sugar that bacteria in the mouth can’t metabolize or use to create the acids that cause cavities. There are other medications that can be prescribed to increase salivary flow, but these seem to have fallen out of favor. The other and most “low-tech” solution is just to keep water on hand and sip as necessary.
EJC
There is no magic bullet to restore saliva flow which, the lack of, is the reason for dry mouth. Both aging and medications induce dry mouth (AKA xerostomia). Best to drink a lot of water and stay hydrated, and also Biotene does help many patients.
Be sure to drink plenty of water. If you are on any medications you can speak with your primary care physician and find out if that may be one of the side effects of them. You can also use OTC biotene or oasis rinses.
Hi there!
Dry mouth could be due to various reasons, some them are as follows:
1-Current medications you're taking
2-Autoimmune disease sjogren syndrome
3-Anxiety
4-Lifestyle
There are some OTC artificial saliva substitutes available at most pharmacies in the dental section you can try, but I would recommend you see a dentist to make the right diagnosis.
I hope this answer helps.
Dry mouth could be due to various reasons, some them are as follows:
1-Current medications you're taking
2-Autoimmune disease sjogren syndrome
3-Anxiety
4-Lifestyle
There are some OTC artificial saliva substitutes available at most pharmacies in the dental section you can try, but I would recommend you see a dentist to make the right diagnosis.
I hope this answer helps.
Dry mouth is usually caused by systemic issues. It could be caused by dehydration or even an autoimmune disease. It is important that you get evaluated by a medical or dental professional. There is little that can be done to treat dry mouth.
There are multiple reasons for dry mouth including medications and blocked salivary glands. I recommend a comprehensive exam to get to the best course of treatment.
