Why is saliva so important?
When you don’t produce enough saliva, your mouth can become dry and uncomfortable. Saliva is important as it:
- Moistens and cleanses your mouth
- Protects your teeth and gums
- Helps prevent tooth decay
- Allows you to chew, swallow and digest food.
What causes dry mouth?
It can be a common side effect of:
- Prescription and non-prescription medication
- Medical treatment
- Nerve damage
- Dehydration
- Lifestyle habits like smoking.
Signs and symptoms
If you’re suffering from dry mouth, you may experience:
- A sticky, dry feeling in the mouth and throat
- Constantly feeling thirsty
- A burning or tingling sensation in the mouth and on the tongue
- Oral ulcers, split skin or cracked lips
- Difficulty speaking, chewing, swallowing or reduced ability to taste
- Dry nasal passages
- Bad breath.
Dry mouth treatment
If you think you have dry mouth speak with your Health Partners Dentist. They’ll assess and determine the most suitable treatment option for you.
In the meantime, to help improve your saliva flow, try:
- Sucking on sugar-free candy or chewing sugar-free gum
- Drinking plenty of water to help keep your mouth moist
- Breathing through your nose, not your mouth, as much as possible
- Using a room vaporiser to add moisture to the bedroom.
Posted: Jan 19 2021
Disclaimer
The information contained here is of a general nature and does not take into account your personal medical situation. The information is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or used for therapeutic purposes. Should you require specific medical information, please seek advice from your healthcare practitioner. Health Partners does not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on the information provided.
While we have prepared the information carefully, we can’t guarantee that it is accurate, complete or up-to-date. And while we may mention goods or services provided by others, we aren’t specifically endorsing them and can’t accept responsibility for them.
© Copyright Health Partners. 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Health Partners is committed to providing quality and affordable health care, and we value our members and our obligation to protect your privacy. As part of our responsibility in protecting your privacy, from time to time we review our policies to ensure we are meeting our obligations. We have recently made some updates to our Privacy Policy. Please click here to view the Health Partners Privacy Policy.
© Copyright Health Partners. 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Health Partners is committed to providing quality and affordable health care, and we value our members and our obligation to protect your privacy. As part of our responsibility in protecting your privacy, from time to time we review our policies to ensure we are meeting our obligations. We have recently made some updates to our Privacy Policy. Please click here to view the Health Partners Privacy Policy.