Research shows that about 1 in 5 older adults wake up with dry mouth. Other factors can include prescription drugs, lack of a good nutritional diet, and other age-related health problems. Medication side effects.
It's normal to occasionally have a dry mouth if you're dehydrated or feeling nervous, but a persistently dry mouth can be a sign of an underlying problem. You should see your dentist or GP if you have an unusually dry mouth (known as xerostomia) so they can try to determine the cause.
For instance, eating a particularly salty or spicy snack or meal just before bed can cause thirst that's temporary, but intense — potentially intense enough to wake you up. Additionally, alcohol and caffeine can dehydrate your mouth, so it's best to limit both before going to bed to avoid dry mouth.
Is dry mouth a symptom of diabetes? Dry mouth is a common symptom of high blood sugar in people with diabetes. Sometimes dry mouth is the first noticeable symptom of diabetes. If you have dry mouth and think you could have diabetes, talk to your healthcare provider.
Common causes of dry mouth include: Many medicines, both prescription and over-the-counter, such as antihistamines, decongestants, and medicines for conditions including high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, pain, heart disease, asthma or other respiratory conditions, and epilepsy. Dehydration.
Anxiety activates the “fight or flight response,” which suspends digestion, including saliva so that most of the body's resources are available to fight or flee. As long as you are anxious, you can have a dry mouth. Dry mouth is a common symptom of anxiety.
Vitamin D.
A diet lacking or low in vitamin D will cause burning mouth syndrome. Symptoms of this condition include a burning mouth sensation, a metallic or bitter taste in the mouth, and dry mouth. Drink milk, and eat egg yolks and fish to increase your vitamin D intake.
This is because during periods of intense anxiety and stress, the body is more prone to acid reflux symptoms, and acid can affect the salivary glands and lead to less saliva and the feeling of a dry mouth. It may also lead to a sticky feeling and bad taste, both of which are considered dry mouth related.
“If you have dry mouth and try drinking more water to fix it but it doesn't solve or cure it, it could mean there's an underlying medical issue,” Dr. Bhuyan says. The most likely medical explanation is Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the glands that make tears and saliva.
Medical conditions: Dry mouth can be a sign of a more serious condition, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, stroke and Sjogren's syndrome. Sjogren's syndrome (SHOW-grins) is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack the glands that produce moisture.
Estrogen deficiency can lead to reduction in the salivary flow leading to perception of dry mouth.
A number of things may cause a persistently dry mouth, including prescription medications, medical treatments and certain autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome. Treatment includes products that help to moisten the mouth. The feeling of a dry mouth is also called xerostomia.
Your body is more prone to acid reflux during periods of intense stress and anxiety, which can negatively impact your salivary glands and lead to less saliva production. Furthermore, it can also result in a sticky feeling in your mouth and bad taste, which are common dry mouth symptoms.
Oral anxiety isn't being stressed, anxious, or depressed about your oral health. Instead, oral anxiety is the effects these mental health problems end up having on your oral health. This is especially true if you struggle with depression.
Can acid reflux cause dry mouth? There is not much research on the connection between acid reflux and dry mouth. However, a 2018 study suggests that swallowing saliva may help neutralize stomach acid. It is possible that people who do not produce enough saliva may have a more acidic stomach, worsening their reflux.
It is important to know that dry mouth is not part of the aging process itself. However, many older adults take medications that can dry out the mouth, and taking more than one of these can make dry mouth even worse.
Mouth breathing and being in a dry environment may also dry the throat, even if these do not lead to full-on dehydration. As part of the natural fluctuation of the circadian rhythm, less saliva tends to be released at night, so a dry throat may be more noticeable in the morning.
Dry mouth is a common clinical problem, and different products have been proposed to improve it. Making products such as mouthwash or lozenges using yogurt can help to reduce 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. Chew sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free hard candies.
It may seem obvious, but drinking water is one of the best ways to combat dry mouth. Since dry mouth can happen as a result of dehydration, you can solve this problem by drinking more fluids.