Dry mouth can leave a foul taste and smell in the mouth, and can make it difficult to swallow. We’ll give you eight easy and natural home remedies to prevent dry mouth.
Dry mouth, or xerostomia, happens when not enough saliva (or spit) is produced in the mouth, causing it to dry out. As well as a dry feeling in the mouth, people with xerostomia may also experience a dry throat and dry lips and find it difficult to swallow. Saliva isn’t just used to moisten our mouths — it’s an important part of the digestion process, helping to break down and moisten food. It also protects the mouth from tooth decay and gum disease.
Although not defined as a specific medical condition, dry mouth is sometimes a symptom of other conditions, so it’s important to discover the root cause. We’ll look into some of the possible reasons for dry mouth, followed by eight easy and natural home remedies for it.
What Causes Dry Mouth?
Various factors can cause dry mouth. Let’s take a look at some of them:
- Medicine — Certain types of medication can contribute to dry mouth because they reduce saliva production. Common medicines which cause dry mouth are those which are used to treat high blood pressure, depression, asthma and anxiety.
- Dehydration — One sign of dehydration can be a dry mouth. Dehydration occurs when your body loses fluid and doesn’t replace it quickly enough. Causes of dehydration can be excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea or simply not drinking enough water.
- Aging — Dry mouth is a common affliction in older adults.
- Stress — When we’re stressed, our bodies release the hormone cortisol. This can change the natural composition of our saliva, resulting in a drier mouth.
- Diabetes — People with diabetes often suffer from dry mouth due to increased blood sugar levels, dehydration and medication use.
Let’s check out eight easy and natural home remedies for dry mouth.
1. Home Remedies for Dry Mouth: Chew Natural, Sugar-Free Gum
Chewing gum increases saliva flow in the mouth, which reduces dry mouth. It’s important to choose sugar-free gum, as sugar will only worsen the problem, so try making your own homemade gum using natural ingredients. Alternatively, suck on sugar-free candies or lozenges to get that saliva flowing.
2. Rinse With DIY Mouthwash
Many over-the-counter mouthwashes contain alcohol, which can worsen dry mouth. Instead, make your own DIY mouthwash at home using ingredients like cloves, peppermint or tea tree oil. Not only will natural mouthwash improve your dry mouth and leave your breath smelling fragrant, it can also improve your overall dental hygiene.
3. Home Remedies for Dry Mouth: Reduce Caffeine Intake
Caffeine may contribute to dry mouth in some people. It can be found in drinks like coffee, tea and soda, as well as foods like dark chocolate.
To decrease your intake, try one of these caffeine-free drinks:
4. Take Care of Your Teeth
To avoid dry mouth, you should maintain good dental hygiene. Visit the dentist twice a year and take care of your teeth daily at home. Brush your teeth with homemade toothpaste and floss at least twice a day (check out these eco-friendly floss alternatives), or after eating. Try not to consume sugary and acidic foods and drinks, as these contribute to tooth decay, which can be exacerbated by dry mouth. Also don’t forget to clean your tongue.
5. Quit Smoking
A 2014 study found that smoking can cause dehydration, which causes dry mouth, so a good way to prevent this is by cutting down on or quitting smoking. Check out these 6 tips and tricks on how to quit smoking.
6. Home Remedies for Dry Mouth: Stay Hydrated
Dry mouth can often be connected to dehydration, so a simple solution is to drink plenty of water, ideally at least fifteen cups a day. You can also suck on ice cubes to increase saliva production. If you find that you frequently experience dry mouth from alcohol-induced dehydration, try skipping the booze next time and testing out some alcohol alternatives.
7. Breathe Through Your Nose
It’s best to breathe through the nose when possible, particularly at night. Breathing through the mouth can contribute to bad breath and gum disease as well as dry mouth. The nose acts as a filter for small particles in the air that we may breathe in. It also adds moisture which prevents dryness in the lungs. If you’re not sure whether you sleep with your mouth open, some clues may be snoring, bad breath in the morning and fatigue during the day. You can talk these symptoms over with your doctor to see if there is a way to prevent breathing through the mouth while asleep.
8. Try Herbal Remedies
Many different herbs can encourage saliva production and improve dry mouth. Chewing ginger or sweet pepper can promote saliva production and reduce dry mouth. Alternatively, sip on aloe vera juice to provide moisture or try a recipe that contains nopal cactus, otherwise known as prickly pear cactus. Other herbs which can stimulate saliva production include hollyhock and marshmallow root.
Read more:
- Cracked Corner of Mouth: Causes and Treatment
- Get Rid of Garlic Breath: 9 Remedies for Mouth and Hands
- 10 Effective Home Remedies for Bad Breath
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