Monday, February 8, 2010

Dry Mouth Symptoms

Dry mouth symptoms arise when there is an uncharacteristic reduction in the production of saliva in the mouth brought about by medication, dehydration, disease or a malfunction of the salivary glands. The decrease in salivary activity can be a serious medical problem, and can even camouflage a serious underlying illness.
Among dry mouth symptoms, the most easily noticeable is the sticky, pasty feeling in the mouth. The thickening or reduction in the flow of saliva brings about a frequent feeling of thirst accompanied by a dry, sore throat.
Sores in the mouth would be a common sight, while the dryness of the lips can result in the cracking of the lips and the splitting of the skin at the corners of the mouth. All of these then interferes with the normal eating habits of people because eating would be painful due to the numerous sores on the lips and in the mouth.
In addition, dry mouth can lead to the burning or tingling sensation in the mouth and especially on the tongue, with the tongue often taking a dry, raw, and reddish appearance. Food can be an ordeal to chew and swallow because of the lack of saliva to moisturize food stuff. Moreover, people who suffer from dry mouth have a poor perception on the taste of the food thus affecting their appetite. Oral dryness can then be a detriment to the general well-being of an individual because of its impact on the nutritional aspect of a person.
Difficulty with speaking and swallowing because of the dry and sore throat are very much apparent, often resulting with the hoarseness of the voice. The drying of the nasal passages is another consequence of dry mouth.
Without the protective property of saliva, people who are afflicted with dry mouth are more prone to oral cavities, gum diseases and mouth infections. Dental decay is pronounced and root caries are also present. And since bacteria and fungi are left unimpeded by saliva, they grow in abundance and cause halitosis or bad breath.



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Dry Mouth Remedies

If you’re one among many who is suffering from dry mouth or xerostomia, you are well aware that having this condition is not appealing. Your normal salivary supply has stalled and you’re left with a puddle where once a river was flowing. It’s not a walk in the park when your dehydrated mouth makes it hard to talk, eat or swallow. Your quality of living takes a big hit because you don’t only increase your chance of having dental caries, oral infection and gingivitis, but you also get foul, stinking breath in the process.
The sure-fire way to remedy dry mouth is to get to the source of the problem, which is the lack of saliva. With this in mind, dry mouth is the common side effect of some 400 drugs in the market so avoiding medication that curtails the effective production of saliva should be considered. Tell your physician about this so that he can adjust the dosage or completely change your prescription.
There are various factors that can contribute to a dry mouth, but there are numerous ways to relieve the dryness in the mouth and preserve the soft tissues as well. Moisturizing the mouth is another way to do this. Under the assumption that your salivary glands are working, there are some measures that can stimulate saliva production. Salivary flow can be enhanced by the following dry mouth remedies:
1.) Chew on sugar-free gum or suck on hard, sugar-free candy to stimulate the salivary glands to produce saliva
2.) Drink plenty of water and sugarless drinks. Avoid drinks that contain caffeine, such as coffee, which can dry out the mouth.
3.) Avoid salty and spicy food as they can irritate the mouth
4.) Veer away from alcohol and tobacco
5.) Make use of a humidifier or room moisturizer at night to moisturize the air in the room
6.) To help you lubricate your mouth, consult your dentist for artificial saliva substitutes.


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Dry Mouth at Night

It is not unusual for an adult to experience dry mouth at night, especially because of the lifestyle people have nowadays. It is chronic dry mouth during the evening which can prove to be bothersome. Alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and too much caffeine are but some factors that can result in dry mouth. The underwhelming production of saliva during dry mouth can even be traced to the medication that a person has been prescribed with. Ultimately, dry mouth can give rise to halitosis, mouth sores, swallowing difficulty, sore throat and tooth cavities.

Snoring is thought to be the main cause of dry mouth at night. Constant breathing through the mouth like in snoring can dry up saliva; people who fall asleep with their mouths agape can also experience dry mouth in the evening. To address this issue, people who snore are advised to use anti-snoring aids, sleeping on their sides and even practice breathing through their noses. Some are even resort to losing weight.

The key to ease dry mouth at night is to improve saliva production in the evening. Here are some tips to deal with dry mouth at night:

1.) Chew Ice cubes: Chewing ice cubes or ice chips 30 minutes before nighttime can moisturize the mouth and induce jaw action to activate the salivary glands to produce saliva.
2.) Chew sugarless gum: Chewing sugarless gum before bedtime can help with the flow of saliva. Hard, sugar free candies will also do the trick.
3.) Water: Increase the intake of water to 6-8 glasses to keep the mouth moisturized throughout the day. Stay off the sugary drinks because too much sugar can cause dry mouth.
4.) Medication: Drugs can be prescribed to correct faulty salivary glands and improve if not restore their normal function.
5.) Diet: Alcoholic beverages and drinks that contain caffeine (coffee, tea, and some soda) should be avoided because they may hasten fluid loss due to frequent urination. Acidic drinks (apple and orange juice) should also be avoided. Those with dry mouth should also shun smoking or chewing tobacco.

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Causes of Post Nasal Drip



Post nasal drip is a medical condition wherein mucus accumulates in the back of the nose and throat, due to the over-production of mucus by the sinuses leading to the sensation of mucus dripping at the back of the throat. Here are the common causes of post nasal drip that should be accounted for to have a better understanding of this illness:

1.) Inhaled irritants: Polluted air harbor particles that can invade a person’s respiratory system and induce swelling in the nasal and sinus region.
2.) Smoking: Chemicals in cigarettes can inflame the nasal mucosal membrane and can lead to excessive mucus production. Cilia can be damaged by smoking thus inhibiting the movement of the mucus.
3.) Alcohol and caffeinated drinks: These diuretic substances can lead to the stagnation of the mucus due to their dehydrating property.
4.) Ingesting allergy-causing food: Allergic reactions inside a person’s body can trigger the thickening of mucus and impair nasal clearance.
5.) Dairy products: This food type is health food for many but is a detriment to post nasal drip sufferers because it can cause mucus to thicken and can make the efficient drainage of mucus tough.
6.) Living in dry regions: Arid areas or even dry air from air conditioners can desiccate the mucus in the nasal lining which would be troublesome to get rid of. Furthermore, the inert mucus can be habitat for the growth and proliferation of bacteria.
7.) Colds and flu: A compromised immune system, as what you see when a person has colds or flu, is an easy target for afflictions in the respiratory tract.
8.) Swallowing disorders: Difficulties in swallowing or throat may very well progress into the immobility of the mucus in the throat which can bring about an increase in mucus secretions.
9.) Pregnancy and contraceptive pills: Birth control pills can cause fluctuation of hormones in females, which could make them susceptible to post nasal drip.


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Causes of Dry Mouth

People get dry mouth when the salivary glands in the mouth do not work properly and insufficient saliva is produced to keep the mouth wet, leaving people with a distinct sticky, pasty sensation in their mouths. Unchecked, this dry mouth environment can result in foul breath or even mouth infections. Thus it is imperative that you know the causes of dry mouth to be able to counteract its effects. Here are several causes that can proceed to the occurrence of dry mouth:

1.) Medications: A side effect of various medications (prescription and non-prescription), dry mouth can be attributed to the use of drugs for the treatment of anxiety (anxiolytic), depression (antidepressants), colds and allergies (nasal decongestants and antihistamines), and hypertension (diuretics). Certain bronchodilators used for the treatment of asthma can also cause dry mouth. Illicit drugs like cannabis or marijuana can set off the same effect.

2.) Chemotherapy and radiotherapy: Radiation during radiotherapy can damage the salivary glands in the head and neck region while chemotherapy drugs can make the consistency of the saliva thicker giving the sensation of a dry mouth.

3.) Diseases: Some medical conditions can affect the production of saliva. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Sjögren's Syndrome, HIV/AIDS, poorly managed diabetes, stroke, and even mumps can produce dry mouth.

4.) Lifestyle: It is common knowledge that smoking kills. Another fact is that smoking and chewing tobacco can disrupt saliva production and result in a dry mouth environment. Consumption of alcoholic beverages which has dehydrating properties can affect the adequate supply of saliva as well. Constant breathing through the mouth can also be a factor.

5.) Surgery: Parotidectomy or the removal of the parotid gland, the largest salivary gland in the body, due to an infection, tumor or a salivary gland blockage will definitely result in a dry mouth.

6.) Nerve damage or trauma: Head or neck injuries injury can affect the nerves of the salivary glands that tell the salivary glands to make saliva.

7.) Dehydration: Dehydration caused by significant fluid loss likely seen in burns, excessive sweating, fever, vomiting, diarrhea can cause dry mouth.



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