Dry Mouth: Common Causes and How to Get Relief

Saliva does far more than keep your mouth moist. It protects teeth from decay, helps you swallow and taste, and fights infection. A persistently dry mouth is uncomfortable and can lead to dental problems.

Imagine waking every night with a tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth, reaching for water. Your dentist finds new cavities despite good brushing. You realise the problem started after a new medicine. That’s a common cause of dry mouth, and there are solutions.

Common causes

• Medicines, including some antidepressants, antihistamines, blood pressure tablets and bladder medicines
• Dehydration and not drinking enough on long shifts
• Breathing through your mouth, especially at night or with a blocked nose
• Anxiety, smoking, alcohol and caffeine
• Conditions such as diabetes, Sjögren’s syndrome, and radiotherapy to the head and neck

Relief

• Sip water regularly through the day
• Chew sugar-free gum or suck sugar-free sweets to stimulate saliva
• Use saliva substitutes from a pharmacy
• Use a humidifier at night
• Use fluoride toothpaste and see your dentist regularly

But when should you get checked?

See a doctor or dentist if dry mouth lasts more than a few weeks, especially with dry eyes, joint pain, increased thirst and peeing, or difficulty swallowing. Don’t stop prescribed medicine, but ask whether an alternative might cause less dryness.

Sources: NHS (Dry mouth), US National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, American Dental Association. This guide is for general information and does not replace advice from your own dentist, nurse, doctor or pharmacist.