Reasons for Dry Mouth

Dry mouth pertains to the reduced amount of saliva in the mouth as produced by the salivary glands. Saliva is often neglected but needless to say this clear liquid contributes greatly in food digestion, speech, taste, swallowing and provides protection to the teeth and gums. Healthy saliva contains high levels of oxygen which prevents the presence of anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that thrive in an environment where there is no oxygen present) which produces the offensive volatile sulfur compounds causing bad breath, gum diseases and other oral disorders. More information on anaerobic bacteria, dry mouth and bad breath are available from the website www.bad--breath.net.

With the way people are living nowadays, it is not surprising to find that oral dehydration is very common as well. People’s lifestyle greatly affects the condition of our mouth. Alcohol, cigarettes and unhealthy foods like dairy products (for lactose intolerant individuals), sweets, caffeinated beverages, acidic and spicy foods are among the most common foodstuff causing dryness of the mouth. Furthermore, such lifestyle leads to more serious conditions like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol level and the likes. Medications given for these illnesses also have side effects contributing to the reduction in the secretion of saliva. Additionally, obese people are more susceptible to mouth desiccation especially at night as they tend to snore and breathe through their mouth rather than in their nose while sleeping. Excessive air in the mouth dries off oral tissues and the tongue’s surface.

Other reasons for the occurrence of dry mouth are medical treatments like chemotherapy for cancer and nerve damage to the neck and head as a result from radiations, surgeries and injuries. Physical traumas also cause detriment to the salivary glands ensuing reduction on production of saliva. Moreover, illness that causes dehydration such as blood loss, vomiting, or diarrhea also plays a part in the incidence of decreased amount of saliva.


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