Dry mouth or xerostomia, is a condition where you do not produce enough saliva or spit to keep the mouth wet. Dry mouth can happen to anyone occasionally, but when it becomes a common occurrence it may be indicative of a more serious problem. When dry mouth becomes frequent it can make eating, chewing, swallowing, and even talking difficult. Sprays for dry mouths help to replenish the amount of saliva in your mouth.
Importance of Saliva
Human saliva is produced in the salivary glands and is composed of 98 percent water, and small quantities of enzymes, electrolytes, mucus, and antibacterial compounds. Saliva is produced by the body to help lubricate and protect the tongue, teeth, and other delicate tissues of the mouth. It also aids in the starting of the digestive processes, and breaks down food caught between the teeth, helping to protecting the teeth from cavities.
Symptoms and Causes
Whether the cause for your dry mouth is related to aging, health conditions, lifestyles or over the counter or prescription drugs, it can have symptoms that range from a nuisance to rather painful. Some symptoms such as thirst, a hoarse voice or a dry, tingling feeling of the tongue can be manageable, but when your dry mouth becomes more severe you can suffer from halitosis or bad breath, painful sores of the tongue and mouth, dry nasal passages, increased plaque, tooth decay and gum disease.
Function of Dry Mouth Spray
Sprays for dry mouths attempt to lubricate the mouth and lessen the severity of the symptoms you may be encountering. Classified as an oral demulcent, the sprays working by forming a soothing film over the mucous membrane, with some products claiming to simultaneously help to stimulate salivary production. Mouth sprays are commonly produced using ingredients such as glycerin, xylitol or pectin. Other products that act as oral demulcents include drops, lozenges, and mouthwashes.
Usage
Dry mouth sprays are available in home applications bottles, and frequently include packaging that makes them easy to put in pockets or purses for use throughout the day. To provide the best results many manufacturers suggest frequent applications of the product, spraying the product into the back of the mouth. Some products such as Thera Zinc Oral Spray inform users to spray two times into the back of the mouth every couple hours.
Warnings
Having a dry mouth can be a related to other serious health problems such as Sjögren's syndrome a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. You should consult your dental provider to assist in the correct diagnosis. Also you should be aware of the ingredients in your dry mouth spray, as some contain products that individuals may be allergic to.
