Dry mouth is a common clinical problem, and different products have been proposed to improve it. Making products such as mouthwash or lozenges using yogurt can help to reduce dry mouth.
Food & Beverages that Help Dry Mouth
A soft, high-protein diet is recommended for people with dry mouth. Substitute moist fish, eggs, and cheese for red meat. Serving food lukewarm or at room temperature reduces the chances of burning the mouth with hot food.
Caffeine from coffee, tea, and soft drinks. Alcohol and alcohol-based mouth washes. Acidic foods such as orange or grapefruit juice. Dry, rough foods that may irritate your tongue or mouth.
increase your fluid intake – take regular sips of cold water or an unsweetened drink. suck on sugar-free sweets or chew sugar-free gum – this can stimulate your salivary glands to produce more saliva. suck on ice cubes – the ice will melt slowly and moisten your mouth.
Common causes of dry mouth include: Many medicines, both prescription and over-the-counter, such as antihistamines, decongestants, and medicines for conditions including high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, pain, heart disease, asthma or other respiratory conditions, and epilepsy. Dehydration.
While there are certain over the counter (OTC) options for treating dry mouth, honey is a great natural way to restore moisture and hydration in the mouth. In fact, its use in xerostomia is evidence-backed by a controlled trial in head and neck cancer patients.
If this is the case, your doctor can prescribe medication that will help stimulate your body's saliva production. Deficiencies in Vitamin A or riboflavin can also cause dry mouth. While both these conditions are rare, they are real and serious, and a medical professional should treat them.
It's best to avoid highly acidic foods like citrus fruits and condiments that contain vinegar. Besides damaging teeth, the acid can also worsen the mouth sores that dryness causes. Low-acid foods you can still enjoy in moderation include bananas, apples, oatmeal, and skinless chicken.
Vitamin D.
It is very important to consume enough vitamin D because it helps your body absorb calcium. A diet lacking or low in vitamin D will cause burning mouth syndrome. Symptoms of this condition include a burning mouth sensation, a metallic or bitter taste in the mouth, and dry mouth.
Talk to your doctor about taking a B-complex supplement with thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and B6. Dry mouth is an uncomfortable condition with many causes. Still, with the help of your dentist and these at-home remedies, you can learn how to manage the symptoms.
Besides the obvious benefit of providing moisture and lubrication for the dehydrated mucosa, milk buffers oral acids, reduces enamel solubility, and contributes to enamel remineralization.
Avoid whitening, tartar control, or smokers toothpastes since these contain abrasives. For the first 30 seconds, use the dry brush and brush the lingual (inside) surface of your teeth, then moisten toothbrush and apply a dry mouth toothpaste (e.g. Biotene, Pronamel, CloSYS, Orajel, Sensodyne) and brush for 1.5 minutes.
In particular, the extra chewing forces involved with eating crunchy vegetables and fruits will trigger saliva production. These foods include carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, apples, and pears. Sucking on sugarless candy or chewing sugarless gum will also increase saliva production.
It is well known that sour and/or carbonated foods and drinks increase saliva secretion and trigger the swallowing reflex.
Experiment with different textures of foods, making them softer and easier to chew and to swallow. Some soft foods include mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, puddings, gelatins. Use your blender to puree cooked vegetables, to make soups, smoothies or milk shakes.
Apples and Citrus Fruit
An “apple a day” is also great for teeth too. Although not a substitute for brushing and flossing, eating an apple or other fibrus fruits like oranges, carrots or celery can help clean your teeth and increases salivation, which can neutralize the citric and malic acids left behind in your mouth.
Dry mouth can be due to certain health conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, yeast infection (thrush) in your mouth or Alzheimer's disease, or due to autoimmune diseases, such as Sjogren's syndrome or HIV/AIDS. Snoring and breathing with your mouth open also can contribute to dry mouth.
"Dry mouth is found among people who take Magnesium citrate, especially for people who are female, 60+ old, have been taking the drug for 6 – 12 months." Have you discussed the dry mouth and increased thirst with your doctor?
Some other ways to help soothe your dry mouth symptoms include swishing with a small amount of olive oil. This substance provides a protective coating to your tongue, throat and cheeks and locks in moisture.
Lemon, known for its citric acid content and sour taste, is a renowned home remedy for dry mouth. Studies have shown that the effect of pilocarpine on physiologic saliva secretion is not as strong as the effect of lemon juice [22] and yogurt [23].
To Fix Dry Mouth, Make Your Own Mouthwash
The combination of water, salt, and baking soda mimics our saliva. Blend 1 cup of warm water with ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Swish in your mouth for a few seconds, then rinse out with water. Repeat every three hours.
Chewing and sucking help stimulate saliva flow. Try: Ice cubes or sugar-free ice pops. Sugar-free hard candy or sugarless gum that contains xylitol.
Depending on the cause of your dry mouth, your health care provider can recommend appropriate treatment. For example, if medication is causing dry mouth, the doctor or dentist may advise changing medications or adjusting the dosages, or may prescribe a saliva substitute.