When you wake up or during the day, you sometimes have the unpleasant feeling of having a dry mouth. Due to the daily use of the mask, some people can also be affected by a dry mouth. This phenomenon is called xerostomia and is characterized by dry mouth caused by a decrease or absence of salivary secretions. Several factors can be at the origin. In his daily column on RTL, Michel Cymes takes stock of the causes and solutions for treating dry mouth.
What are the factors that can cause dry mouth?
First cause mentioned by the doctor: cigarettes. “It is clear that when you smoke, your oral mucosa suffers and it is less moistened. Hence the dreadful sensation of carrying around a bag of plaster in your mouth, especially when you wake up “, Michel Cymes explained before adding that non-smokers can also suffer from dry mouth.
A dry mouth can occur in different settings. It can be associated with a lack of hydration or with age, but also with the side effects of certain treatments such as antidepressants, anxiolytics, antihistamines and antihypertensives. Radiation therapy used to treat certain cancers can also cause dry mouth.
“A dry mouth can be indicative of an underlying health problem. When the going gets tough it can betray diabetes, kidney disease or a syndrome with an unpronounceable name but I risk it anyway: Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome“, warned the otolaryngologist. This autoimmune disease is triggered when the immune system attacks and destroys the lacrimal and salivary glands. In addition to a dry mouth, this pathology can cause dry eyes, genital and bronchial.Patients may also suffer from joint pain, severe fatigue and purpura.
How to fight against dry mouth?
Michel Cymes unveiled several tips for treating dry mouth. The health professional recommended in particular to drink a liter and a half of water per day by spreading its consumption throughout the day. He also advocated avoiding cigarettes, coffee, alcohol, and sugary drinks that dry out the mouth.
You can also suck on a little sugarless candy every now and then to help the production of saliva. According to Michel Cymes, mint leaves also help fight against dry mouth. “If you have a dry mouth, take a trip to the dentist. Because saliva protects your teeth from bacteria and if you lack it (saliva, not bacteria) it facilitates the appearance of cavities. Further proof that, in our fascinating organism, everything is linked “, stressed the doctor.
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