Top 3 Causes of Dry Mouth with Your Edison Dentist

You wake up to that familiar taste in your mouth, the taste of sand. It feels like all of the moisture in your body has been squeezed out, and your lips are parched. Most people wake up with a bit of dry mouth, but yours tends to persist throughout the day. This makes talking and eating very uncomfortable, and can even affect the health of your teeth. What is causing this? Better yet, how can you stop it? Your Edison dentist at Resnick and Rosenfeld is going to tell you the top 3 causes of dry mouth, and what you can do about them.

1. Medication

Dry mouth refers to when your mouth stops producing enough saliva. Saliva, in addition to aiding chewing and digestion, also helps fight the bacteria in your mouth that can cause tooth decay. Without enough of it, you are more likely to develop cavities, gum disease, sores, and serious infections in the future.

A common side effect of many medications is dry mouth, specifically those used to treat anxiety and depression. Since you probably can’t simply stop taking your medication, one way to help your mouth produce more saliva is to chew sugar-free gum throughout the day and drink plenty of water. These will both help your mouth reestablish a healthy environment for your teeth.

2. Smoking and Drinking

Unfortunately, both of these pleasant vices can limit saliva production. Smoking introduces a host of chemicals to your mouth that can throw off its natural balance, while drinking essentially dehydrates you. While both may be your idea of a relaxing night out, they can do real damage to your teeth over time. Ideally, you’d stop smoking and moderate your drinking, but in lieu of that, be sure to drink plenty of water while doing either. One simple trick is to have a glass of water for every cigarette/alcoholic drink you have.

3. Dehydration

During the day when people are busy, it is very common for them to forget to drink water. They then get a soda for lunch, and don’t have any water for the rest of the day. This, coupled with the normal stresses of adult life, quickly dries out your mouth.  Your body is pretty good at letting you know when you’re thirsty, so be sure to pay attention to it, and only drink water when you are.

Want To Know More?

Dry mouth can seem innocuous at first, but can eventually lead to serious consequences. If you experience persistent dry mouth more than a few days a week, see if any of these causes listed above could be the answer. If you’re still unsure, simply call your dentist in Edison. This will give Dr. Resnick and Dr. Rosenfeld the chance to find the underlying cause of your dry mouth, as well as treat it.

Want to know what else could be causing your dry mouth and how to prevent it? Just give us a call today and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.