Xerostomia, or dry mouth, does not refer to the dryness we all experience from time to time when we are thirsty after training or a long walk, but to a condition where the mouth is unusually dry for a prolonged period of time. If left untreated, xerostomia can significantly affect your enjoyment of food as well as your oral health. It can also cause great discomfort for people wearing dentures.
Most common symptoms of xerostomia
-
- Sticky dry feeling in mouth
-
- Cracked lips
-
- Think, stringy saliva
-
- Frequent thirst
-
- Split skin or sores at the corners of the mouth
-
- Bad breath
-
- Hoarseness and/or a sore throat
-
- Difficulty swallowing and speaking
-
- Altered sense of taste
-
- Oral fungal infections
-
- A dry, red and raw tongue
-
- Burning or tingling sensation in the mouth.
Common causes
-
- Medicines. Dry mouth is a side-effect caused by hundreds of medicines, including some over-the-counter medicines. Medicines prescribed for hypertension, depression and anxiety, as well as antihistamines, muscle relaxants, decongestants and anti-diarrheals, are most likely to have this as a side-effect.
-
- Smoking or chewing tobacco. Tobacco use can affect the production of saliva and/or aggravate the symptoms of dry mouth.
-
- Aging. Aging is a factor because older people are more likely to take medicines that can cause dry mouth, or are more likely to suffer from other diseases that can lead to dry mouth.
-
- Nerve damage. Surgery or an injury that causes damage to nerves in the neck or head can result in dry mouth.
-
- Illness or medical treatment. Diabetes, anaemia, hypertension, mumps, Parkinson’s disease, anxiety disorders, the auto-immune disease Sjögren’s disease and cystic fibrosis are just some of the diseases that have xerostomia as a side-effect. Chemotherapy drugs and radiation used in the treatment of cancer can also decrease saliva production.
Sources
Van Elfen, Dr Jan & Du Toit, Dr Don. 2001. Dokter in die Huis. Tafelberg
www.mayoclinic.com
www.webmd.com