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Dry mouth

Author:NHS.uk
Written on:2021-04-19
Go to Health A-Z:Click A-Z


Dry mouth

  • Dry mouth


    • A dry mouth is rarely a sign of anything serious. There are things you can do to help ease it yourself. See a GP if these do not work or you also have other symptoms.



    Causes of a dry mouth

    The main causes of a dry mouth are:


    • dehydration – for example, from not drinking enough, sweating a lot or being ill

    • medicines – check the leaflet or search for your medicine online to see if dry mouth is a side effect

    • breathing through your mouth at night – this can happen if you have a blocked nose or you sleep with your mouth open

    • anxiety

    • cancer treatment (radiotherapy or chemotherapy)

    • oral thrush (mouth thrush)


    Sometimes a dry mouth that does not go away may be caused by a condition like diabetes or Sjögren's syndrome.



      Do



    • drink plenty of cold water – take regular sips during the day and keep some water by your bed at night


    • suck on ice cubes or ice lollies


    • sip on cold unsweetened drinks


    • chew sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free sweets


    • use lip balm if your lips are also dry


    • brush your teeth twice a day and use alcohol-free mouthwash – you're more likely to get tooth decay if you have a dry mouth




      Don't



    • do not drink lots of alcohol, caffeine (such as tea and coffee) or fizzy drinks


    • do not use acidic artificial saliva products (like Glandosane aerosol spray) if you have your own teeth


    • do not have foods that are acidic (like lemons), spicy, salty or sugary


    • do not smoke


    • do not sleep with dentures in


    • do not stop taking a prescribed medicine without getting medical advice first – even if you think it might be causing your symptoms




    A pharmacist can help if you have a dry mouth

    Ask a pharmacist about treatments you can buy to help keep your mouth moist.


    You can get:


    • gels

    • sprays

    • tablets or lozenges


    Not all products are suitable for everyone. Ask a pharmacist for advice about the best one for you.


    If your dry mouth might be caused by a blocked nose, a pharmacist may suggest decongestants to unblock it.



    See a GP if:


    • your mouth is still dry after trying home or pharmacy treatments for a few weeks

    • you have difficulty chewing, swallowing or talking

    • youre struggling to eat regularly

    • you are having problems with your sense of taste that are not going away

    • your mouth is painful, red, swollen or bleeding

    • you have sore white patches in your mouth

    • you think a prescribed medicine might be causing your dry mouth

    • you have other symptoms, like needing to pee a lot or dry eyes


    They can check what the cause might be and recommend treatment for it.




    NHS.uk


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