Your saliva is something you might take for granted and something you rarely notice until something about the natural process goes wrong. The result can be a minor annoyance or a sign of something serious. Saliva plays an important role in digestion, nutrition and dental health. It is surprisingly vulnerable to any number of factors that can make it dry up. According to the website HealthScout, approximately 20 percent of older Americans suffer from problems related to dry mouth, either because of health issues or medications they are taking for those issues.
Medical Terms
Problems with dry mouth are usually a symptom or side effect of an another problem. Dry mouth is referred to as xerostomia, hyposalivation or asialorrhea, but the causes and complications are the same.
Causes
According to MayoClinic.com, hundreds of medications can affect the quantity and quality of your saliva. Over-the-counter medications that can dry up saliva include decongestants, antihistamines and anti-diarrheals. Other treatments, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy, can also cause problems with dry mouth. Stress, tobacco, alcohol and caffeine can all worsen the situation.
Possible Indications
A dry mouth can also be a symptom of other conditions, including HIV/AIDS, diabetes and Parkinson's disease. Rarely, problems with your saliva can be an indication of Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that affects the saliva glands, causing them to work inefficiently.
Complications
If left untreated, problems with dry mouth can cause a significant disruption in your life. A dry mouth might affect your taste buds, your ability to speak clearly, and cause difficulty with swallowing and chewing. Tooth decay can result without enough saliva to neutralize and sweep bacteria from the mouth. Mouth and tongue soreness, sore throat, hoarseness and bad breath may also occur.
Ongoing dry mouth problems can also interfere with nutrition, and can affect your enjoyment of your food and even your ability to eat certain things that are difficult to swallow without sufficient saliva, such as cereals and some vegetables.
Solutions
If dry mouth is a chronic problem for you, consult your doctor. The solution might be as simple as changing your prescription and your doctor can rule out more serious causes. For milder or intermittent dry mouth problems, sipping water or a sugar-free, decaffeinated beverage may help. Chewing sugar-free gum can also stimulate saliva production.
MayoClinic.com advises against using any mouthwash that contains alcohol and suggests brushing frequently with fluoride toothpaste to fight possible tooth decay. Saliva substitutes are available for purchase over the counter and can be carried in your purse or pocket for use as needed. Also, concentrate on breathing through your nose rather than your mouth to prevent the air from further drying out your mouth.
