Dry Mouth Health Video

Xerostomia is the medical term for dry mouth. We all lack saliva from time to time, but a dry mouth can affect both your enjoyment of food and the health of your teeth. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of dry mouth in this video.

Take Action

See your doctor if dry mouth persists
Contact a doctor for dry & cracked lips
Do not smoke or chew tobacco

About this Author

Dr. Susan McGladdery is a medical graduate from Oxford University in the UK and has a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences from Cambridge University. She has been a member of the Royal College of Physicians since 1991 and a member of the American Academy of Urgent Care since 2006. She trained as a Family Physician in the UK in Oxford and then in London. In a medical career that spans over 20 years, she has worked as a doctor in 5 countries on 3 continents and cared for patients from a multitude of different nationalities and backgrounds. Dr. McGladdery joined FirstMed Centers in mid 2002 and became Regional Medical Director in 2003.

SUSAN MCGLADERRY, BM, BCH, MRCP: Hello. My name is Dr. Sue McGladerry. I'm the medical director from the FirstMed Centers in Budapest, Hungary and I would like to give you some information about dry mouth. The other name for this condition is xerostomia. It's a common problem and is more than just a simple nuisance. It can affect both your enjoyment of food and the health of your teeth. It's important that you don't ignore it. In addition to the sensation of dry mouth, you may also notice sores or split skin at the corners of the mouth, cracked lips, and bad breath. There may be difficulty speaking or swallowing. There may be sore throat and an altered sense of taste. There is also increased buildup of plaque, tooth decay and gum disease. The average healthy adult makes about 3 pints of saliva a day and this saliva helps to prevent tooth decay by washing away food and plaque from the teeth. The saliva also provides things like minerals to help repair early tooth decay. It limits bacterial growth in the mouth that can dissolve or damage tooth enamel or lead to mouth infections. It also has the effect of neutralizing any damaging acids in the mouth. Saliva also enhances your ability to taste food and it makes it easier to swallow and the enzymes in the saliva also aide the digestive processes. What are the causes of dry mouth? Usually it's due to certain medications but other causes include things like cancer therapy, chemotherapy drugs, radiation treatments to the head and neck and many other conditions. Smoking or chewing tobacco can also affect saliva production and aggravate problems with dry mouth; snoring and breathing with the mouth open also don't help. You need to talk to your doctor or dentist if you're having problems with a dry mouth, then maybe a simple solution or strategy that can give you relief, for example something as simple as changing your medication or just reducing the dose.