What Can I Do About Dry Mouth While Sleeping?
A good night’s sleep is essential for good health. However, this objective can be challenging to achieve if you regularly wake up at night with a dry mouth. Sometimes referred to as Xerostomia, dry mouth is a condition in which the salivary glands do not produce enough saliva. Saliva neutralizes the bacterial waste (acids) thus preventing tooth decay. Saliva enhances your ability to taste food and drinks and makes it easier for people to chew or swallow food. Notably, most of the enzymes found in saliva help in digestion.
Dry mouth because of decreased saliva is a nuisance and can contribute to dental problems such as damage of one’s gums, teeth, and general health. This issue should be addressed immediately by a professional healthcare provider, preferably a dentist. However, even before seeing a doctor, there are a few things you may try in an effort to resolve the problem. Well, before discussing what you should do about dry mouth while sleeping, let us quickly look at some of the causes of this condition.
Causes of Dry Mouth
Xerostomia is caused by a network of issues, which include:
Medications: Some over the counter (OTC) and prescriptions like decongestants, antihistamines, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and blood pressure medications have been known to cause this condition.
Radiation treatment: Also known as radiotherapy, it is one of the conventional therapies for cancer-related ailments. While it can save a life, radiation to the neck and head can sometimes damage vital glands, including the salivary glands. If this happens, it results in less production of saliva, leading to the condition in question.
Tobacco smoking: Although it is not specifically indicated on the product’s packing, it has been known that tobacco smoking increases the risk of having a dry mouth, especially at night. If you’re looking to stop this, you can cut the tobacco while still consuming nicotine by switching over to a vaporizer like you’re able to find in many shops and online outlets like Vapebox or others, doing this can also decrease the consumption of other nasty substances that are found in tobacco.
Diseases: Reports from some of the most reliable sources show that Xerostomia can be a result of certain health conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, anemia, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and mumps.
Aging: Statistics shows that three out of ten senior citizens experience dry mouth. This perhaps has been contributed to by some other factors like changes in the ability of the body to process medications, certain ailments, or poor nutrition.
Ways to Prevent Dry Mouth
As earlier, if you suspect you are suffering from this condition, then it is highly recommended that you see your dentist as soon as possible. Nonetheless, you can do some of the following simple things to prevent or relieve the discomfort:
Stay hydrated: Keep your mouth moist throughout the day by sipping water or any sugar-free drink. It is also advisable to drink plenty of water during meals to aid in chewing and swallowing.
Chew sugar-free candies or gum: These are some of the products that have Xylitol – known to prevent cavities. Chewing sugar-free gum or sucking sugar-free candies also helps keep your mouth hydrated.
Brush and floss your teeth regularly using toothpaste or mouthwash specifically formulated for dry mouth: Dentists advise that dry mouth can be prevented by brushing or flossing teeth regularly using prescription fluoride mouthwash or toothpaste. These products contain Betaine, which keeps the mouth moist and neutralizes bacterial waste.
Stay away from spicy foods: This includes candies, or any other spicy or acidic foods that can cause your mouth to get dry. The worst part of these foods is that they can increase the risk of tooth decay.
Limit caffeine and alcohol: More often than not, caffeinated and alcoholic drinks cause mouth irritation and dryness. Therefore, using these products increases the risk of Xerostomia.
Quit smoking: Chewing or smoking tobacco irritates the mouth and causes a degree of dryness. Quitting this habit is a sure way to help prevent dry mouth.