Dry Mouth Causes, Implications, and Treatment Information
A recent study revealed that over 30 percent of the population over 65 years of age suffers from dry mouth. Dry mouth, known as xerostomia, can significantly decrease the quality of life and lead to many troublesome health consequences.
What are the Causes of Dry Mouth?
Dry mouth can be caused by many different factors. If you have consistent dry mouth, you may fall into one of the following categories.
- Medication Induced Dry Mouth – A recent report said that 80% of the most commonly prescribed medications cause xerostomia. Included in this are common medications such as antidepressants, sedatives, tranquilizers, anti-hypertensives, analgesics, decongestants, antihistamines, anti-seizure medications, and those that fight Parkinson disease.
- Radiation – external radiation used to treat head and neck cancers can lead to permanent and severe salivary gland damage
- Systemic Conditions – Sjogrens syndrome, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and chronic dehydration are examples of systemic conditions that can lead to dry mouth.
What About Normal Aging?
Recent studies show that although there is a slight decrease in salivary gland function related to normal aging, the function of the major glands do not significantly decrease with age. People with consistent dry mouths should search for diagnosis and treatment related to other factors.
Why is this Such a Problem?
Saliva has several important functions. Swallowing, digestion, taste, speech, and cleansing of the mouth are among it’s important benefits.
A lack of saliva is correlated with the presence of increased plaque and therefore the presence of tooth decay. Saliva neutralizes the acidity of the mouth and without it the balance between health and disease is shifted towards disease
People that suffer from dry mouth often find themselves changing the contents of their diets because they have trouble swallowing foods that are more dry.
Xerostomia can lead to a higher incidence of aspiration pneumonia
Dry mouth can lead to chronic bad breath, otherwise known as halitosis
Eating and speaking difficulties can often lead to avoidance of social situations
Sore throat, hoarseness of voice, and a burning mouth sensation are often results of dry mouth.
Can Dry Mouth Be Treated?
If you suffer from dry mouth, you certainly are not alone. In addition, you are not without options. There are ways to make this problem more manageable and often improve the quality of life significantly.
The first step to answering this question is to determine the cause of the dry mouth. Often this requires multiple disciplines in medicine to understand.
A dental evaluation should be mandatory. The goal of this step is to determine the severity of the problem in relation to the oral environment.
Treatment of symptoms can often be of benefit. Oral moisturizers, lubricants, artificial saliva substitutes, and humidifiers are often helpful. In addition, secretagogues can be utilized to stimulate salivary flow.
People with xerostomia are much more susceptible to oral fungal presence and subsequent infections. Antifungal agents can be prescribed to control this problem.
Medication substitutes and alterations can often provide the same efficacy with a reduction in side effects like dry mouth.
Diet changes are often required to avoid foods that either dry the oral cavity further or foods that are more prone to cause tooth decay
Prescription fluoride rinses are often required to protect against decay
Special care is needed for patients that wear dentures and suffer from dry mouth.
If you have any further questions or would like to schedule a consultation, feel free to contact us any time at (904) 285-7711 or contact us online.