Dry mouth

Temporary, long-term or permanent mouth dryness?

Everyone temporarily suffers from a dry mouth, for example after prolonged speaking or during stress. But you can also suffer from it for a long time. Or the complaint may be permanent. Prolonged or permanent mouth dryness can be bad for your teeth and oral mucosa.

What are the most common symptoms of a dry mouth?

You may feel the need to moisten your mouth regularly. That need can occur both during the day and at night. Sometimes it is difficult to swallow dry food (for example rusks, crackers or bread) if you do not drink anything with it. The food, as it were, sticks in your mouth. Furthermore, both the lips and the tongue can feel tight and sticky. You may also have problems speaking. Think of the clicking of the tongue and a difficult pronunciation of some words or letters.

What Are the Causes of a Dry Mouth?

A lack of saliva is the cause of dry mouth. For example, the salivary glands do not secrete enough saliva. The saliva can also dry out through evaporation when breathing through the mouth. Insufficient saliva secretion can be caused by:

1. The use of medicines
Hundreds of medicines have the side effect of inhibiting the salivary glands in the secretion of saliva. These are mainly medicines that are used in the treatment of high blood pressure (antihypertensives), or heart rhythm disorders, or medicines such as antidepressants, sleeping pills and diuretics. The drugs usually do not affect the salivary glands themselves, but only inhibit saliva secretion.

2. Diseases
Dry mouth can occur with dehydration due to fever or diarrhea. Someone who suffers from diabetes that has not yet been properly adjusted can also complain of thirst and dry mouth. In these cases, the complaint is temporary. Once the disease is cured or the diabetes is controlled, the dry mouth disappears. Permanent mouth dryness occurs in people who suffer from, for example, AIDS or Sjögren's syndrome (chronic inflammation of the lacrimal and salivary glands). Their complaints about dry mouth can vary, but they never completely disappear. In Sjögren's syndrome, mouth dryness actually increases with age.

3. Irradiation
When a malignant tumor in the head or neck is radioactively irradiated, the salivary glands can be irreparably damaged by the radiation. This often results in permanent, severe mouth dryness.

Why is saliva so important?

Saliva has a lubricating effect when you speak, chew and swallow. With the help of saliva you can move more easily with your cheeks, tongue and lips. With your saliva you moisten food in such a way that you can swallow it painlessly. Saliva also moistens the oral mucosa, preventing dehydration. In addition, it has a cleansing effect on teeth, molars and the oral mucosa. In addition, saliva inhibits the functioning and growth of bacteria and fungi in the mouth, preventing mouth infection.

What are the consequences of a dry mouth for your teeth and molars?

In a healthy mouth, saliva helps protect your teeth. If you don't have enough saliva, plaque builds up faster than normal. This causes cavities in your teeth more quickly. This especially happens when you regularly eat sugary foods. In a dry mouth, the formation of dental plaque and cavities mainly occur along the edges of the gums. This can also inflame the gums. Over time, the teeth and molars can become loose. Without extra protective measures, your teeth can therefore be lost more quickly.
To combat the effects of mouth dryness, a person may want to suck on sour candies. This increases the risk of cavities and tooth erosion (wear by acid).

What are the consequences of a dry mouth for someone with dentures?

Dentures often do not stay in place in a dry mouth. In others, a thickened layer of saliva forms between the dentures and the oral mucosa. The dentures then, as it were, stick to the palate. This causes the dentures to pry and create painful spots.

What are the consequences of a dry mouth for the oral mucosa?

Mucous membranes are easily irritated if the protective layer of saliva is missing. These irritations are caused, for example, by dentures, or by eating acidic or spicy food or drinking alcohol. Painful spots may then appear on your tongue, cheek, palate or gums. Inflammation, especially fungal infections, can also easily arise.

How can the consequences of a dry mouth be combated?

You can fight the consequences of a dry mouth in different ways, depending on the cause. Consult with your dentist which treatment is most suitable for you. Dry mouth can be combated by:

Stimulating saliva secretion
Your salivary glands may temporarily not work properly or your saliva flow may be inhibited by the use of medicines. In both cases you can stimulate saliva production. For example, eat foods that require thorough chewing. Think of solid brown sandwiches, carrots or sugar-free chewing gum. You can also enhance the secretion of saliva by eating slightly acidic foods, such as fruit or cucumber. This often does not work or does not work sufficiently for people who have suffered from Sjögren's syndrome for a longer period of time or who have had radiation therapy in the head or neck.

Kies suikervrije kauwgom

Choose sugar-free gum


Change of medicines

Is medication use the cause of your dry mouth? Then your GP or specialist may be able to adjust the type of medication, the dosage or the time of administration.

The use of saliva substitutes
It is not possible to stimulate saliva production when your salivary glands stop working. If they function only a little, you cannot stimulate them enough. Then you can limit the consequences of a dry mouth with the help of so-called saliva substitutes. These are special liquids in the form of a moisturizing gel (Biotène Oral Balance) or an atomizer (Glandosane, Xialine). You apply a moisturizing gel to the mucous membranes. With the help of an atomizer you can moisten the oral cavity with this liquid. The slightly acidic Glandosane is not recommended for frequent use for someone with their own teeth. A gel is especially pleasant at night, a spray is especially pleasant during the day. You have to find out for yourself which means you like best. A mouth gel is for sale at the drugstore or pharmacy. A saliva substitute can be prescribed by the dentist and is available at the pharmacy. In any case, consult your dentist and do not start a remedy on your own initiative, even if it is available at the drugstore or pharmacy.

speekselvervangers

saliva substitutes

I have a dry mouth. Is extra care of the mouth necessary?

It is important that someone with a dry mouth takes extra care of their teeth, molars and gums. Consider the following:

  • Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft toothbrush and use a fluoride toothpaste.
  • Most toothpastes have a too sharp menthol taste. Alternatives are children's or junior toothpastes or toothpastes specifically developed for people with a dry mouth.
  • Use interdental brushes, dental floss or toothpicks daily to clean the spaces between your teeth.
  • Eat as little sugary and acidic foods as possible.
  • Consult with your dentist or dental hygienist whether you should use extra fluoride and how you can best care for your teeth and gums.

If you have dentures, it is advisable to keep them as clean as possible. Clean it carefully after every meal. Use a special denture brush and water to properly remove food residues. Clean your dentures daily with a cleaning agent available at the drugstore or pharmacy. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. If necessary, ask your practitioner for advice. Dirty dentures are a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, especially in a dry mouth. Also keep the mucous membrane (jaws, palate and the transition from the jaw to the cheeks) under the prosthesis thoroughly clean. Take your dentures out at night and keep them in water. You can also put your dentures in a cleaning solution.

See for more information www.drymouth.info (in English).

I have a dry mouth. Do I need to go to the dentist more often?

Someone with a dry mouth should visit the dentist or dental hygienist at least once every three months. Only then can beginning damage to your teeth be recognized in good time and further damage prevented. Particularly in the case of severe mouth dryness, this deterioration can progress so quickly that the damage caused by the six-monthly check-up is very difficult or even impossible to repair.