Xerostomia is the medical term for dry mouth, and it is a state which occurs when the production of saliva stridently decreases altogether. Dryness of the mouth is a result of a decreased or inhibited flow of saliva. Saliva is the clear, watery solution which is present in the mouth at all times. It also aids in preventing tooth decay as it washes away food and plaque from the surface of the teeth.

Saliva plays a prominent role in our oral and overall health. Harmful forms of bacteria in the mouth thrive and multiply at a much higher rate in environments with less oxygen. Saliva, being highly concentrated in oxygen, generally helps to kill these bacteria and wash them away. Without this natural bacteria inhibitor present, bacteria can quickly grow out of control and cause disorder on our oral health.

Causes of Dry Mouth

Generally people get dry mouth when the glands in the mouth that make saliva are not working properly. When the mouth is persistently dry, it can lead to gum infections and more serious conditions like gingivitis and periodontal disease which has now been associated to other health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. As a result, there might not be enough saliva to keep our mouth wet.
There are several reasons why the salivary glands might not be working right. Dry mouth can also be a side effect of muscle relaxants and sedatives. It is a common side effect of many prescription and nonprescription drugs, including drugs used to treat depression, anxiety, pain, allergies, and colds (antihistamines and decongestants), obesity, acne, epilepsy, hypertension (diuretics), diarrhea, nausea, psychotic disorders, urinary incontinence, asthma (certain bronchodilators), and Parkinson’s disease.

Symptoms of Dry Mouth

Below mentioned are some of the symptoms from which we can make our mouth is drying, and if we are aware of it we can take precautions accordingly, and we can claim ourselves to be much healthier than others.

• A sticky/dry feeling in the mouth
• Trouble in chewing, swallowing, tasting
• Blazing feeling in the mouth
• A dehydrated feeling in the throat
• Cracked and dries lips
• A  tough tongue
• Mouth sores
• Infection inside the mouth