Dry Mouth
What You Can Do About It
Dry mouth is sometimes also called pasties, cottonmouth, doughmouth or des (like a desert). It is common in smokers.
The medical term for dry mouth is xerostomia (pronounced zero- stow-mia), But we will call it dry mouth.
Dry mouth can cause difficulty in speech and eating. It also leads to halitosis (bad breath) and a dramatic rise in the number of cavities.
The reason for the increase in bad breath and cavities is due to this fact: your saliva has the protective effect of remineralizing the enamel of your teeth so when saliva amount is decreased that protection is no longer present or is diminished.
Dry mouth is also a common side-effect of various drugs such as cannabis, amphetamines, antihistamines, and some antidepressants.
Patients who have endured chemotherapy usually suffer from this after their treatment.
1. Sipping non-carbonated sugarless fluids frequently will help to keep your body well hydrated. Eight 8 oz glasses of water a day has been suggested for good overall health for decades.
2. Chew gum containing xylitol. You can only find it in Health Food Stores as far as I have seen. Xylitol is the key ingredient. It is a sweet white crystalline sugar substitute used in oral health products. It is a natural substance and not harmful. Below is a description of xylitol.
A sugar alcohol extracted from birch wood, corn cobs, and peanuts. It is used to make sugar-free sweets, such as chewing gums and mints. Xylitol does not cause dental cavities, in fact it actually inhibits the growth of bacteria which cause tooth decay. Although rich in calories, xylitol may have a small advantage over sugars in calorie controlled diets because it has a lower calorie yield and is more slowly absorbed. Its slow absorption also makes it more suitable for diabetics because it produces little or no stress on the pancreas.
3. Visit your dentist regularly for cleanings to keep the bugs away.
Dr. Z
