All you need to know about dry mouth and the oh-so-important saliva

Saliva lubricates, rinses, cleans, and neutralises acids. It helps us experience taste and is an important protective factor for your mouth. It’s truly an amazing fluid! A dry mouth is the subjective feeling of not having enough saliva to keep the mouth wet, a condition also known as xerostomia. It could also be you have decreased saliva production, known as hyposalivation, or both. Remember, dry mouth is not a disease. However, with less saliva, the teeth become more vulnerable to tooth decay (caries). The soft tissues, such as gums and tongue, in your mouth become sensitive and susceptible to infection and oral thrush.

Signs of dry mouth

The most common sign of dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is dryness or a feeling of stickiness in your mouth and/or throat. Other things you might notice are:

• Stringy saliva
• Sore throat
• Bad breath
• Thirst
• Dry lips
• Difficulties speaking
• Problems tasting food
• Difficulties with eating, chewing, and swallowing

What causes dry mouth?

It might be as simple as dehydration, meaning you haven’t been drinking enough water. But there are many causes for dry mouth.

• More than 400 prescription medications reportedly have reduced saliva as a side effect
• Some diseases, such as diabetes, rheumatism, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or Sjögren’s syndrome, can affect the flow of saliva
• Age – there are some indications that older healthy adults have a lower resting salivary flow
• Breathing through your mouth at night
• Long-term smoking can be the cause of less and thicker saliva alike
• Diseases of the salivary glands
• Hormonal changes such as pregnancy or menopause
• Overusing alcohol or caffeine
• Cancer therapy
• Stress

Introducing TePe Hydrating Products

What can I do about dry mouth?

Symptoms of a dry mouth can be alleviated in many ways, depending on the cause of the problem. Consult your dental professional if you experience problems with dry mouth to get individual advice and help. To establish a lack of saliva, a saliva test is usually needed. Here are some actions for you to start with:

• Stay hydrated by drinking water regularly
• Use saliva-stimulating products, like TePe Hydrating Mouthwash and TePe Hydrating Mouth Spray
• Lubricate and moisten your mouth by using a spray or gel. Usually, a combination of products provides the best comfort, but it varies from person to person.
• Use an alcohol-free mouthwash with fluoride
• Chew a sugar-free, fluoride-containing gum once or twice a day
• Avoid or limit spicy, acidic food, tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine
• If you breathe through your mouth at night, try placing a humidifier in your bedroom
• Avoid snacking between meals – try to stick to three main meals and two snacks per day. Harder foods mean more chewing and will stimulate the saliva flow more than soft foods.

What about oral hygiene?

Maintaining good oral hygiene is extra important when you suffer from dry mouth.

• Brush your teeth twice a day using an extra-soft toothbrush such as the TePe SupremeTM and fluoride toothpaste that doesn’t contain SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate), such as the TePe Daily or TePe Pure
• Clean between your teeth daily. TePe EasyPickTM and extra-soft TePe interdental brushes ensure you can keep cleaning comfortably.
• Use additional fluoride, preferably a rinse with 0.2% fluoride to be used after lunch.
• Make sure to have regular dental check-ups