Dry mouth. Treatment with folk remedies. Constant dry mouth: causes of the phenomenon and how to get rid of the problem? What Helps Dry Mouth

Dry mouth or scientifically xerostomia appears due to insufficient production of saliva by the salivary glands. This is not a disease, but a symptom of some other disorder in the body. There can be many reasons for dry mouth. In this article, we will look at the causes of dry mouth and how to eliminate it with folk remedies.

Causes of frequent dry mouth

There can be several reasons for constant dryness in the oral cavity:

• difficulty breathing through the nose and therefore frequent breathing through the mouth;
• frequent rinsing of the mouth and throat;
• insufficiency of drinking water per day;
• alcohol overdose;
• smoking;
• taking certain medications;
• excessive consumption of strong coffee;
• obviously overdried air in the room in which you are.

Also, a feeling of dry mouth can occur due to some diseases:

• this is stomatitis;
• gastritis;
• nasal polyps;
• inflammatory processes in the kidneys, such as pyelonephritis;
• problems in the liver - hepatitis;
• endocrine diseases;
• anemia;
• infectious diseases;
• insufficiency of vitamins A and groups B;
• nervous diseases such as overexcitation, stress, depression.

Sometimes xerostomia can be combined with other signs of diseases:

• stickiness and gluing in the oral cavity;
• frequent urination;
• manifestation of changes in the tastes of food or drinks;
• the appearance of bad breath;
• possible constipation or vice versa diarrhea;
• possible itching of the skin;
• small;
• dryness in the throat and nose;
• change in the pace and timbre of speech, hoarseness;
• in some cases, an increase in temperature;
• pain in the lower abdomen;
• sudden weight change.

What to do with dry throat and mouth

Before starting the treatment of dry mouth, it is advisable to find out the reasons from which it arose and begin the treatment of concomitant diseases.

If dryness arose due to the use of drugs, then they should be replaced with analogues.

Try to give up bad habits - alcohol abuse, frequent smoking.

All diseases of the oral cavity, such as caries, should be excluded - for this, be sure to visit a dentist. Use mouthwash after brushing your teeth and eating. Use a fluoride-containing paste, moisturize your lips with hygienic lipstick or wipe them with wet wipes.

How to quickly get rid of dry mouth without medication

To quickly get rid of dry mouth, here are a few tips:

• drink a glass of clean water, sometimes you can add lemon juice to it, which promotes saliva;
• chew gum or suck on sugar-free mint or lemon candy;
• increased salivation causes red chili pepper - for this, add a little of it to food;
• control your breathing - breathe through your nose;
• you can dissolve a small ice cube;
• reduce your total sugar intake, sometimes it is because of it that a feeling of dry mouth appears during the day;
• be sure to humidify the room in which you are;
• daily inhalations with essential oils will help moisturize the nose - add 3-4 drops of fir, eucalyptus or essential oils per liter of boiling water;
• increase the consumption of fermented milk products - eat fermented baked milk, kefir or yogurt every day;
• do not use alcohol mouthwashes.

Treatment of dry mouth with folk remedies

Frequent rinsing with extracts of calendula or wormwood will help to make the salivary glands work: drop 20-25 drops of calendula or wormwood extract into a glass of water. Rinse your mouth 3 times a day half an hour before meals.

Buy 2 oils at the pharmacy: rosehip and eucalyptus (chlorophyllipt). 3 times a day, first instill rosehip oil 3 drops into the nose, and after 10-15 minutes eucalyptus oil. Chlorophyllipt has bactericidal properties, and rosehip oil helps stimulate the salivary glands.

Eating blueberries helps to eliminate dry mouth. They are very rich in vitamins, so it is advisable to eat them all year round, both fresh and dried. Dried berries are first soaked in boiling water in a thermos, kept for 3-5 hours, then eat, and drink the infusion. Eating blueberries has a general strengthening effect on the entire body, increases immunity, improves the functioning of organs and thereby eliminates increased dryness in the mouth.

Chewing one pod of cardamom every day after eating stimulates the salivary glands. After that, do not eat for an hour.

The same thing happens with daily chewing of peppermint leaves. They should be chewed 20 minutes before each meal.

If unpleasant dry mouth occurs only at night, then before going to bed in the oral cavity, lubricate the cheeks and tongue using a cotton swab. In the morning, brush your teeth and rinse your mouth as usual.

Rinsing the mouth with aloe juice has a positive effect on the healing of the entire oral cavity, because aloe has truly miraculous properties. Mix aloe juice with water 1 to 4 and rinse your mouth for at least 5 minutes 3 times a day.

Do you suffer from dry mouth? Do you need to constantly drink water? Do you notice cracks and sores in your mouth? If you answer yes to these questions, then most likely you have xerostomia, a symptom of many diseases or temporary conditions of the body. Saliva neutralizes acids and many bacteria in the mouth. If a person has insufficient production of saliva, then this is an occasion to pay attention to their health. The occurrence of dry mouth, as a periodic phenomenon, can be triggered by many factors. Certain habits, illnesses, medications, and dehydration can cause dry mouth. The most commonly used medications that affect saliva production include: antihistamines, antidepressants, tranquilizers, some high blood sugar medications, and anticholinergics. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments for this disorder. However, before proceeding to treatment, it is important to find out the cause. If you notice that you have constant dry mouth, then try the following methods of struggle.

Steps

Use home remedies

Drink more fluids. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of dry mouth. Drink more water if you experience dry mouth. Water will not only moisturize your mouth, but it will also remove food debris, bacteria, and plaque that can cause dry mouth.

Watch your oral hygiene. Poor oral hygiene can be the cause of dry mouth. This is due to the accumulation of bacteria and plaque. Make it a habit to brush your teeth after every meal, avoid sugary foods and drinks, and visit your dentist regularly. The dentist will be able to recognize the problem before it bothers you. Don't forget about it.

• You may feel dryness due to coating on the tongue. Brush your tongue every time you brush your teeth. Many toothbrushes have a rough surface designed to clean the tongue.

1. Use mouthwash. Thorough oral hygiene is ensured by the use of rinses from the Listerine series. Rinse your mouth every time you brush your teeth, or at least twice a day. Make sure the product you choose does not contain alcohol.

   Chew sugar-free gum every day or suck on sugar-free suckers. This is the easiest and fastest way to get saliva produced. Also, try chewing raisins from time to time. Avoid sugary candies as they exacerbate the problem of dry mouth.

   Use a humidifier. Dry mouth can be caused by too dry indoor air. But this problem can be easily eliminated if you maintain normal humidity in the room.

   • Run a humidifier in the bedroom at night. Most likely, this will be enough to reduce dry mouth. If not, use a humidifier that covers the whole house, or purchase multiple humidifiers. Place them in the rooms you visit most often or where the air is very dry.

2. Breathe through your nose. One of the most common causes of dry mouth is breathing through the mouth. Sometimes it's just a habit. Make an effort to breathe through your nose. If you can't breathe through your nose, find ways to clear your nasal passages. Blow your nose, take medication to help relieve nasal congestion.

   Add sauces and gravies to your meals. If you suffer from dry mouth, chances are you are having difficulty swallowing. Try adding liquid sauces and gravies to your meals to make swallowing easier.

   Stop using tobacco products. Smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco can affect saliva production. Every time you put a cigarette in your mouth, you are inhaling hot smoke. Smoking affects the salivary glands, causing them to produce less saliva. In addition, smoking can also exacerbate the problem of dry mouth, even if it is caused by other causes.

From this article you will learn:

• why there is bitterness and dryness in the mouth,
• causes of hypofunction of the salivary glands,
• drugs for the treatment of xerostomia.

Permanent dry mouth appears as a result of a decrease in the moisture content of the oral mucosa, which in most cases is associated with a decrease in the amount of saliva secreted by the salivary glands. Dry mouth is also referred to as xerostomia (Figure 1).

Xerostomia occurs in about 10% of the population (women are the most affected). If we talk only about people of retirement age, then there will be more of them among patients with xerostomia - already about 25%. This is due to the fact that older people use more drugs that affect the volume of saliva production, as well as age-related deterioration in the function of the salivary glands.

Functions of saliva in the mouth

When examining the oral cavity –

• parched lips,
• pale or bright red thinned mucous membrane,
• lack of saliva in the mouth (or a small amount of foamy saliva),
• dry folded tongue with atrophied filiform papillae,
• tongue coated with white
• an unpleasant smell is felt from the mouth.

Also, when examining the entire oral cavity, as a rule, they are visualized: abundant microbial plaque on the teeth, fungal infection of the mucous membrane (), various erosions and ulcers, poorly healing traumatic injuries, multiple caries and inflammation of the gums. All this is associated with reduced local immunity of the oral mucosa, as well as with a large amount of pathogenic microflora.

How to make the correct diagnosis?

The rate of salivation stimulated during meals is normally 1.5-2.0 ml / min, while the rate of unstimulated saliva is approximately 0.3-0.4 ml / min. The term "hyposalivation" means a decrease in the functional activity of the salivary glands. Such a diagnosis is made when the rate of stimulated salivation is less than 0.5-0.7 ml / min, and the rate of unstimulated salivation is less than 0.1 ml / min.

The diagnosis of "xerostomia" in patients with hyposalivation is made when the volume of saliva secreted becomes less than the rate of absorption of fluid through the oral mucosa + the rate of evaporation of fluid in the oral cavity (during conversation or breathing).

Where to go –
you will need to contact a dental surgeon who will have to check the functioning of the salivary glands (massage them and see if saliva is secreted from the ducts, and in what quantity). Also, the examination will reveal the presence of stones in the ducts of the salivary glands, which can impede the release of saliva. Estimation of the transparency of the secreted saliva can tell about the presence or absence of a possible infectious inflammation in the tissues of the salivary glands.

It is best to seek such advice from oral and maxillofacial surgeons from a hospital, and not from outpatient dental surgeons from a polyclinic, because. the latter clearly do not have enough experience to treat such a pathology. In addition, if a stone is found in the duct or inflammation of the tissues of the salivary glands, then the maxillofacial surgeon will be able to treat with greater efficiency.

As we said above, it is best to immediately contact the clinics at the medical university, where there is a department of surgical dentistry. There, associate professors and professors conduct receptions and consultations, they teach dental students, do scientific work, and therefore all complex cases with xerostomia are exactly there. Well, if you live in Moscow or the Moscow region, you can still contact the state clinic TsNIIS (Central Research Institute of Dentistry).

Treatment for dry mouth

The main treatment should be aimed at eliminating the cause of dry mouth. For example, if the cause is inflammation of the salivary glands or a stone in the duct of the salivary gland, you need to contact a dental surgeon and treat the inflammation, remove the stone from the duct. With mouth breathing, you need to contact an ENT doctor and treat nasal diseases. When using rinses with alcohol, you must stop using them. But these are all fairly simple cases, the cause of which is easily diagnosed and quite easily eliminated.

In complex cases, such as Sjögren's syndrome or after radiotherapy to the head and neck area, it is important to choose the right treatment strategy. In these conditions, the correct option would be to prescribe funds to stimulate the function of the large salivary glands. However, such remedies only work when the parenchyma of the salivary glands (glandular tissue that secretes saliva) is at least partially preserved. If parenchyma sclerosis has occurred as a result of an infectious or autoimmune process, then there is simply nothing to stimulate there.

In these cases, you can only try to stimulate the function of small salivary glands with physostigmine + prescribe artificial saliva substitutes in the form of gels and rinses (we will discuss this below). If xerostomia occurs as a result of taking medications, the best treatment results are observed after the appointment of local salivation stimulants in the form of an oral spray with malic acid + dose adjustment of the drug or its replacement with another one.

Treatment for xerostomia consists of –

• stimulation of the function of the salivary glands,
• artificial hydration of the mucous membrane,
• nutritional supplements,
• prevention of caries, inflammation of the gums, oral candidiasis.

1. Drug stimulation of salivation -

Systemic stimulation of salivation can be achieved with the use of 2 approved drugs. The first drug is Pilocarpine (pilocarpine), which is an alkaloid of plant origin. This drug also has the property to stimulate the function of the salivary glands. Depending on the severity of the disease, pilocarpine may be prescribed 3 or 4 times a day for 3 or 5 mg - for at least 3 months.

The second drug is Cevimeline Hydrochloride (cevimeline hydrochloride). This is a cholinergic agent that has a regimen of 30 mg 3 times a day - also for at least 3 months. However, most clinicians still prefer pilocarpine, both in Sjögren's disease and after radiation therapy. But these drugs will be effective only if the parenchyma of the salivary glands is at least partially preserved!

Important : Pilocarpine and cevimeline are relatively contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled asthma or chronic lung disease, in patients taking β-blockers. They should also be used with caution in patients with peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and intestines, and in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. In addition, pilocarpine is contraindicated in patients with narrow-angle glaucoma, with caution in cardiovascular diseases.

Stimulation of small salivary glands –

If the above drugs are aimed at stimulating the function of large salivary glands, then Physostigmine is able to stimulate the smallest salivary glands, evenly located throughout the oral mucosa. This drug belongs to cholinomimetics, causing blockade of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Clinical studies have shown that the majority of patients with xerostomia highly appreciated its effectiveness.

The daily dosage of physostigmine is usually 1.8 mg. This drug can be effective even with sclerosis of the parenchyma of the large salivary glands, while it does not have significant side effects at this dosage.

2. Artificial hydration of the oral mucosa -

In this section, we discuss topical oral agents recommended for the treatment of xerostomia. These include salivation stimulants and saliva substitutes.

Salivation stimulants –
clinical studies have shown that one of the most effective topical saliva stimulants is a 1% malic acid spray. One of them is Dentaid Xeros spray (Dentaid Xeros). However, due to the acid, they can cause moderate enamel erosion. Therefore, it is important that the spray contains fluoride + xylitol compounds, which make the tooth enamel more resistant to acid. Against the background of such treatment, patients are advised to use a high fluoride content.

Chewing gum –
it can also help stimulate salivation, but it's important to remember not to use chewing gum or hard candies that contain sugar (otherwise multiple cavities are guaranteed). Peppermint extract, drops with lemon juice, as well as tinctures of bitter herbs can also help in stimulating salivation. But the simplest home remedy is to drink small amounts of water as often as possible throughout the day, especially with meals.

Saliva substitutes –
In addition to chewing gum, there are also special saliva substitutes that mimic the presence of natural saliva in the mouth. For this, special solutions and sprays are used, which will contain any combination of the following components - carboxymethylcellulose or hydroxyethylcellulose, olive oil, glycerin, as well as additional components - betaine, allantoin, xylitol, fluorine, calcium or phosphates.

Clinical studies have shown that when it comes to saliva substitutes, gel forms are the most effective. Moreover, we are talking not only about products that are produced in the form of gels, but also those products that acquire a gel form already in the oral cavity. For example, anhydrous crystalline maltose tablets also reduce the symptoms of xerostomia (in the mouth they turn into a gel that lines the mucous membrane, i.e., in fact, they also act as a substitute for saliva).

Examples of remedies for patients with xerostomia -

Below you will find products available in Russian pharmacies and online stores for patients with xerostomia. In fact, we can name only two manufacturers. These are the means of the Spanish manufacturer "Dentaid" (can be found in a pharmacy, often on order, as well as in online stores), as well as American-made products under the Biotene brand, which are sold only in online stores.

1) Spray "Dentaid Xeros" (15 ml) -

Drying out of the oral cavity may be due to an incipient infectious disease. Prolonged thirst that worries at night can be a symptom of diabetes and other endocrine disorders.

The main causes of dry mouth:

• Nose ailments. With a curvature of the nasal septum or the presence of polyps, nasal breathing is difficult. The patient breathes through the mouth, causing the mucous membrane to dry out. The throat feels dry and thirsty.
• Taking medications. With some medications, drying out of the mucous membranes is a side effect. Most often, dryness is observed while taking antifungal, antihistamine and sedative drugs.
• Infection. Often, dry mouth is the first symptom of a starting SARS or flu. If you suspect that you are sick, rinse your nose immediately. So you can prevent the development of the disease.
• Endocrine ailments. Dry mouth is common in people with diabetes or Parkinson's disease. This is due to the malfunction of the salivary glands, which produce a secret in insufficient quantities.
• Operations on the head. Surgical interventions can disrupt the salivary glands or affect the nerves that are responsible for secretion production.
• Dehydration. With heavy sweating and tearing, the glands can produce very little saliva. After drinking water, the amount of saliva increases.

Signs of dry mouth

Signs of dry mouth:

1. Thirst, frequent urination. This indicates that the body is losing moisture. It is necessary to try to drink more, and not water, but a solution of Regidron. After all, along with water, salts are washed out, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the body.
2. Dryness in throat and nose. Together with dry mouth, these symptoms may indicate a cold or an acute viral infection. When the virus enters the body, it primarily affects the nasopharynx and oral cavity.
3. Cracks in the corners of the mouth, bright lip contour. With dry mouth, the lips often dry out, which provokes the appearance of cracks. Often seizures occur when the immune system is weakened due to the multiplication of streptococci.
4. Burning and dry tongue. The tongue turns red from lack of moisture. In addition, there may be a sensation of itching and burning.
5. . When the mucous membranes of the mouth dry out, an unpleasant odor may appear due to the multiplication of pathogenic microflora and putrefactive bacteria.
6. Hoarseness of voice. Due to the drying of the ligaments, the voice may become quieter or disappear altogether.

Features of the treatment of dry mouth

There are many ways to get rid of xerostomia. If it is a symptom of some disease, then it is worth curing the disease. Only then will the dryness disappear.

Treatment of dry mouth with folk remedies

Folk recipes for dry mouth:

• Wormwood and calendula. Very useful rinses with wormwood and calendula. It is necessary to pour 25 drops of tincture of wormwood or calendula into a glass of boiled and cooled water. You can use herbal tinctures in equal amounts at the same time. Rinse your mouth with the prepared liquid three times a day before eating. It is necessary not to eat after rinsing for 20-25 minutes.
• Vegetable oils. They envelop the mucous membrane and reduce the evaporation of saliva. To get rid of dryness, wipe your mouth with cotton wool soaked in olive or sunflower oil. You can take a little in your mouth and rinse for 2-3 minutes. Spit out the oil. Repeat the procedure after meals three times a day.
• Collection of herbs. For this remedy, you will need chamomile flowers, sage flowers and calamus root. These plants need to be brewed separately with boiling water. For 230 ml of boiling water you need 10 g of grass. When the decoctions have cooled down a little, they should be filtered and rinsed in turn. That is, before breakfast, chamomile, before lunch, sage, and before dinner, tincture of calamus root.
• Rosehip and eucalyptus oil. You can buy them at any pharmacy. Eucalyptus oil is sold under the name "Chlorophyllipt", it is a green viscous liquid. For the treatment of dry mouth, it is necessary to immediately drip the nose with rosehip oil, and after 15 minutes with Chlorophyllipt. Use oils three times a day for a week. Chlorophyllipt is famous for its bactericidal properties, and rosehip oil stimulates the salivary glands.
• . Eat fresh berries 100 g per day. If it's out of season, you can use dry ones. A handful of blueberries should be poured with 250 ml of boiling water and kept in a thermos for 5 hours. When the berries become soft, they need to be eaten, and the broth should be drunk.
• Mint. This plant is suitable for diabetes and partial blockage of the salivary glands. It is necessary to chew several mint leaves during the day. Try to do this a third of an hour before eating.
• Aloe. To treat dry mouth, you need to rinse the cavity three times a day. Is it necessary to take one rinse? part of a glass of juice. After that, it is advisable not to eat food for 1 hour.
• Grape seed oil. Before going to bed, apply a little oil on a cotton pad and smear the tongue and cheeks with a swab. After sleeping, rinse your mouth with clean boiled water and brush your teeth as usual.
• Cardamom. This remedy is used to eliminate dry mouth in the countries of the East. It is necessary to chew a cardamom pod after each meal. After that, do not rinse your mouth for 1 hour.

Treatment of dry mouth with medicines

An overview of medications for treating dry mouth:

1. Pilocarpine. For the first time this drug began to be used in Sjögren's disease. The substance stimulates the salivary and sweat glands. Accordingly, sweating may increase. The drug is taken three times a day, 5 mg. The maximum daily dose is 30 mg. Treatment is continued until the body is fully restored. The drug is a stimulant, but does not solve the problem, but only relieves the symptom. After its cancellation, the oral mucosa may dry up again.
2. Cevimelin. This is a drug based on civimeline hydrochloride. This is an analogue of Evoksak, which is much cheaper. The medicine also does not cure, but only reduces the manifestation of symptoms, increasing the secretion of saliva. Along with its increase, more sweat is produced. While taking the drug, it is worth drinking plenty of water so that the loss of fluid does not affect the work of the kidneys.
3. . This is a healing gel that is applied to the mucous membrane and increases saliva production by 200%. The preparation contains chitosan, betaine, xylitol and olive oil. Prolongs the action of toothpaste and prevents the mucous membranes of the mouth from drying out. The drug does not contain alcohol and sugar, so it can be safely used to increase the amount of saliva in diabetes.
4. Spray Bioxtra. This is a spray that contains salivary antibacterial enzymes, xylitol and monosodium phosphate. Used for dry mouth syndrome. Antibacterial components of saliva prevent the formation of caries. The spray forms a thin film on the surface, which prevents the saliva from drying out. You can use the tool as much as you like.
5. Hyposalix. This is a preparation based on several salts. The spray replaces natural saliva and improves the patient's condition with keratomy. Contains chlorides of potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium. It has a salty taste and prevents the growth of bacteria in the oral cavity due to the lack of saliva.
6. Fluocal gel. Contains fluoride and prevents the development of caries. Enhances salivation. Gel lubricates the mucous membrane of the mouth. After its absorption, a thin film forms on the surface of the teeth and the oral mucosa. It prevents the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms and the evaporation of saliva.
7. Biotene. This gel is able to permanently moisturize the oral cavity and prevent the evaporation of saliva. The composition of the tool is significantly different from the previous ones. The basis of the drug are silicones and polymers. They envelop the mucous membranes, help eliminate dryness. In addition, the product contains vitamins and chitosan.
8. Listerine. This is a regular mouthwash with mint and chamomile extracts. It is prescribed to reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth, prevents the development of caries. Substances in the composition of the rinse perfectly fight dry mouth.

• Drink plenty of water. Do not replace pure water with carbonated drinks. You need more than 2 liters of clean fluid per day. Drink it in a glass in small sips. It is necessary that the intervals between water intakes be approximately the same.
• Reduce your sugar intake. Sugar causes dry mouth, so don't sweeten your tea or coffee. Reduce your consumption of sweets and confectionery.
• Choose an alcohol-free rinse. Alcohol dries out the mucous membrane of the mouth and reduces salivation.
• Use hygienic lipstick. This will prevent the drying of the oral mucosa and eliminate cracks in the lips. This, in turn, will prevent the development of streptoderma.
• Eat hard candy and sugar-free gum. They promote salivation, which prevents the mouth from drying out.
• Drink dairy products. Be sure to include kefir fermented baked milk and yogurt in your diet. These drinks are a source of electrolytes. They prevent dehydration.
• Put a humidifier in the room. If the air in the room is humid, this will facilitate nasal breathing and prevent the oral mucosa from drying out.
• Once a day, breathe over the steam. This is necessary to moisturize the nasal passages. In addition, it is useful to rinse the nose with salt water. This will make it easier to breathe through your nose and prevent the saliva from drying out.
• Eat fruits and vegetables while snacking. Replace sandwiches and fast food with vegetables that contain a lot of water. Perfect for celery and cucumber. It is good to eat watermelon.

The feeling of dry mouth is familiar to almost everyone. In some, this condition manifests itself in periods when in others dry mouth is noted constantly. In medicine, dry mouth can be found under the term "xerostomia", which is characterized by dryness of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity as a result of a decrease or complete cessation of the secretion of the salivary glands. It is important to note that dry mouth is not an independent disease, but only a symptom indicating possible disorders in the human body.

It is known that more than 10% of the population suffers from dry mouth, while women are much more likely to suffer from this disease. What are the causes of dry mouth? What threatens such a condition, and how can dryness of the mucous membranes of the mouth be eliminated? Let's try to figure it out, but first let's acquaint readers with the functions of the salivary glands.

It is known that the body of a healthy person produces about 2 liters of saliva per day, which is an important component of our body. Saliva has the most important properties:

• cleanses the body of pathogenic bacteria;
• prevents overdrying of the oral cavity and pharynx;
• neutralizes acids;
• helps to digest food;
• protects teeth from remineralization;
• helps to taste;
• acts as a solvent for taste buds.

People who experience dry mouth also experience other symptoms that appear as a result of a violation of the secretion of the salivary glands:

• thirst;
• dry tongue, roughness;
• dryness in the throat;
• difficulty speaking;
• hoarseness of voice;
• lack of taste buds.

The mucous membrane of the oral cavity is too sensitive to the effects of external and internal factors, and may react differently to certain stimuli

There are many reasons why the salivary glands do not produce enough saliva. This condition may occur intermittently or be present all the time. The temporary nature of dryness in the oral cavity, most often manifests itself after taking certain medications or after drinking alcohol. If dry mouth is noted constantly, then we can talk about possible diseases that provoke insufficient secretion of the salivary glands. Consider the most common causes of dry mouth:

• Violations of the drinking regime.
• Taking certain medications.
• Inhalation of air through the mouth.
• Smoking.
• Alcohol consumption.
• Menopause in women.

In addition to the above causes of dry mouth, there are others, but they will already indicate the presence of diseases that are characterized by dryness of the oral mucosa:

• Diseases of the salivary glands - parotitis, Mikulich's disease.
• Viral or bacterial infections - influenza, tonsillitis, intestinal infections. Dryness occurs as a result of an increase in body temperature and general intoxication of the body.
• Endocrine diseases - diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis.
• Oncological diseases of the oral mucosa.
• Vitamin A deficiency.
• Pathological fluid loss - dehydration, increased sweating.
• anemia;
• Nervous system disorders - stress, depression, psycho-emotional stress;
• Sjögren's disease.

If dry mouth is constantly present or manifests itself too often, you need to consult a doctor who, after an examination, anamnesis, and examination results, will be able to determine the cause and prescribe treatment.

What is dangerous dry mouth?

Dry mouth is a rather unpleasant sensation caused by discomfort. In addition, this condition can lead to a number of violations, such as:

• decrease in taste sensations;
• increased development of caries;
• difficulty swallowing food or liquids;
• difficult nasal breathing;
• frequent infectious or fungal diseases;
• swollen lymph nodes.

How to get rid of dry mouth?

There are several ways to help reduce or eliminate dry mouth:

• frequent fluid intake;
• sucking sugar-free lollipops;
• chew on a piece of ice;
• use chewing gum;
• eat lemon;
• take special drugs that increase salivation.

Such methods will help eliminate only temporary dry mouth. If the cause of dryness is any disease, then first you need to eliminate the cause of the disease, and dryness will pass along with other symptoms.

Folk remedies for dry mouth

To reduce dry mouth will help folk remedies that will help increase the stimulation of the salivary glands. Consider a few recipes:

Recipe 1. Rinse your mouth with alcohol tinctures: wormwood, calendula. For 100 mils of water you need 10 drops of tincture. Rinse your mouth 20 minutes before eating. The course of treatment is 15 days.

Recipe 2. A good effect can be obtained from the treatment of the oral cavity with olive, sunflower or vegetable oil.

Recipe 3. You will need a sage leaf, chamomile flowers and calamus root. Herbs should be taken in equal portions, 1 tbsp. l. Each herb should be steeped individually in 100 mils of water and infused for 30 minutes. Then strain and rinse the mouth of each alternately 3-5 times a day.

Recipe 4. Rosehip oil or Chlorophyllipt, which can be bought at any pharmacy, is effective for dry mouth. With such funds, you need to instill daily into the nose. First, 1 - 2 drops of rosehip oil, and after 15 minutes, "Chlorophyllipt" is dripped. Continue this treatment for 10 days.

Alternative methods will help only when the cause of dry mouth is not associated with internal diseases. In cases where this symptom occurs against the background of any disease, it can be eliminated only after the treatment of the underlying disease. If dry mouth has been bothering you for a long time, you should not hesitate to visit a doctor. It is known that the earlier the disease is diagnosed, the easier it is to cure it, and return to a full life.