How to Prevent Dry Mouth Many people think that dry mouth only happens when you talk a lot. But, it’s actually something much more complex than that. Dry mouth, also known as Xerostomia, is a sort of condition and what happens in this condition is that saliva and the production of saliva goes on shut off mode. If you’ve ever wondered exactly what causes dry mouth or home remedies to be rid of it, continue reading below for a wealth of information on this topic.
Saliva, believe it or not, has many duties when it comes to your mouth. First off, it’s what allows us to chew food, swallow, talk and spit. But, it’s also a natural. cavity fighter because it helps to wash away food and food particles left in the mouth after eating. It also lubricates food to help it go down your throat better. And it also works as a buffer to neutralize acids in the mouth brought on by foods. Overall, saliva is a very important function in the body. So when it stops, it can lead to dry mouth and when this happens your teeth are more prone to decay and get cavities, you have a harder time talking, swallowing and you also are more prone to infections in the mouth. Reasons For Dry Mouth One of the most common reasons for dry mouth or cotton mouth as some people call it is the use of medications. If you look on your label you will probably see some side
effects, one of which may be dry mouth. A lot of the medications out there work by drying out mucous membranes and these can dry out your mouth. Dehydration is another common cause for dry mouth. If you get dry mouth, try to drink some water and see if it goes away. Other causes include; menopause, radiation therapy for things like cancer and cigarette smoking. Dry mouth is bad enough but along with it you might have lip sores, mouth sores, difficulty chewing, talking and swallowing, dry nasal passages, dry lips and even bad breath just to name a few problems. Most of the time if you have dry mouth it’s an easy fix, unless it’s some underlying medical issue. Treatment for Dry Mouth Thankfully there are a myriad of options available to you to get rid of dry mouth but you will find a few of the most common options below. Celery Celery is one of those veggies that is filled with a lot of water. It’s a healthy snack as well though so you are sort of killing two birds with one stone. Celery sticks are a great way to jump start your saliva glands and add some moisture to your mouth. It’s a simple remedy and it works most of the time. Parsley Parsley is a great option to help with dry mouth and bad breath that comes from dry mouth. This is an herb that is a natural. breathe sweetener, along with fresh mint, and parsley can give you ample amounts of vitamins and minerals as well such as vitamin A and C, calcium, iron and more. Again, kill two birds with one stone. Parsley is very easy to get your hands on and it grows in just about every single state. You can also find little parsley tips when you go out to eat and though these are usually for decoration, they can be chewed on as is. Rosemary
A lot of the mouth washes available to you right now and the one you probably have in your cabinet right now has germ killing alcohol in it. Great right? Well alcohol also causes dry mouth which isn’t so great! If you want to make your own mouthwash you can do so by adding rosemary, thyme, mint and aniseed. Mix this up with some hot water, cover and steep for about 20 minutes. Strain it all through a fine strainer, refrigerate and use to gargle. You will find that it will get rid of your dry mouth, but also your bad breath. Anyone can do this! Mouth Watering Other things to try are cayenne pepper – a little dash of this in the mouth will restart your saliva glands and get you salivating, literally. Plus, cayenne is a great option for getting healthy because it can also help you lose weight and get energy! Lemons are a great option to make your mouth water too, this will also jump start those glands along with anything else that is sour in nature. If none of these work and you STILL have dry mouth, it might be time to see a dentist or talk to your doctor about the issue to make sure its not something more serious.