{"id":3154,"date":"2019-01-09T08:56:10","date_gmt":"2019-01-09T08:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/?p=3154"},"modified":"2021-08-09T02:59:36","modified_gmt":"2021-08-09T02:59:36","slug":"9-answers-to-what-causes-dry-mouth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/9-answers-to-what-causes-dry-mouth\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Answers to What Causes Dry Mouth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A dry mouth may not sound like the worst thing in the world, but it can actually be quite distressing in some cases. Not only is it somewhat uncomfortable in itself, but it can also cause a number of secondary symptoms and potentially point to other more worrying complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dry mouths can lead to bad breath for instance or \u2018halitosis\u2019. This is because saliva normally acts as a disinfectant and it is the bacteria that causes the odor. Likewise, a dry mouth can lead to the formation of ulcers, it can make you bite your lips, it can cause cracked skin, and it can even increase your likelihood of becoming ill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lots of different things can cause a dry mouth and as a result, the way that you go about treating the problem can also be very varied. Read on and we\u2019ll look at nine answers to what causes dry mouth and you\u2019ll have a better idea of how to address the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Medication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A number of medications <\/a>can lead to a dry mouth. For example, modafinil is a prescription mediation that is used to treat narcolepsy (a condition that causes patients to fall asleep without warning wherever they are). This is effective in combating that problem but among the symptoms is a very dry mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many other medications can also do the exact same thing, and so it\u2019s important to consider if you\u2019ve begun any new course of drugs when you are looking for a possible cause. Another thing to keep in mind is that non-therapeutic drugs can also be behind the problem. Alcohol and tobacco, in particular, are both likely to cause a dry mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, it\u2019s also very possible that caffeine can cause a dry mouth. These drinks are all dehydrating because they act as diuretics. Not only that, but they can also increase your stress hormone levels (cortisol, dopamine and others), which will in turn cause you to get an increasingly dry mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Stress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of which\u2026 Stress <\/a>causes dryness in the mouth by raising hormones and neurotransmitters that cause a number of physical changes in the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adrenaline for instance will cause the heart rate to increase, the body temperature to go up, and the mouth to turn dry. This is why you will often find yourself standing in front of an audience, sitting in an interview, or on a first date\u2026 struggling with a completely dry mouth and stumbling over your words!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not particularly helpful, but there it is. That\u2019s our body\u2019s response! The best thing you can try to do then is to reduce the stress and let yourself become calmer. You can do that by using meditation, self-talk (look into \u2018CBT\u2019), or by controlling your breathing. Either way, the worst thing you can do is to become stressed by the stress itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. Sleep<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A lack of sleep <\/a>can cause your mouth to become dry, just like it causes a whole host of other problems. Did you know that the brain engages in neural \u2018pruning\u2019 during the night? Literally sorting through your memories and knowledge in order to ensure everything is working optimally?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t skip sleep!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this is what might also surprise you: getting sleep can also cause dehydration! The reason for this is that you don\u2019t produce as much saliva during the night and of course you won\u2019t be regularly drinking anything as you\u2019re unconscious!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re concerned about this then, try to solve the problem by having a glass of water by the bed.
The thing to remember though is that going short periods without water isn\u2019t that bad for you. In fact, some studies even suggest it might be beneficial due to a process called autophagy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. Dehydration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

That said, chronic and extended dehydration is bad. Like\u2026 really bad. And it\u2019s also really common \u2013 it is an issue for the vast majority of people in the Western world in fact!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dehydration causes a great many issues. It causes inflammation, it causes brain fog, it prevents proper digestion, leads to indigestion, causes muscle cramps\u2026 it even leads to severe headaches <\/a>as the brain actually shrinks (like a sponge losing water) and then pulls away from the inside of the skull as a result. That\u2019s about as pleasant as it sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, drink often during the day and listen to your body. On average, it is suggested that we should aim to drink a glass of water about seven times a day. Of course, this varies a lot though, depending on numerous factors such as your metabolism, the ambient temperature of the area you\u2019re in, your activity levels and more. Of course, even just an intense bout of exercise can lead to a large amount of lost fluid, which in turn can again lead to dehydration!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

5. Diarrhea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Diarrhea<\/a> can lead to dehydration simply because it causes you to constantly empty your bowels and thereby lose a huge amount of water and nutrients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is actually the point at which diarrhea can become dangerous. So, if you have diarrhea, then make sure to keep drinking. If you literally find that you can\u2019t keep anything down, then this is the time when it becomes highly important that you go and see your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, the same is true if you are being sick a lot. Keep drinking and look for ways to try and reduce dehydration. Likewise, avoid things that will worsen it such as the aforementioned caffeine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

6. Fever<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In just the same way, having a high temperature can also cause dehydration and a dry mouth. The reason for this is that a fever will basically evaporate the moisture in your body, while also using up more fuel!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fever <\/a>itself should not actually be thought of as a bad thing. This is the body\u2019s own mechanism for staving off illness and infection. In the wild before we had antibiotics, this was the only way we could survive a potentially life-threatening condition!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem though is that if the fever goes too high for too long, it can be very dangerous simply because of the risk of dehydration. Your best solution then is to try and keep drinking lots of fluids in order to avoid this side effect while riding out the fever in the short term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

7. Certain Foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are a number of different foods that can actually make your mouth feel dry for a whole host of different reasons. Some will actually leave a kind of dry residue on the inside of your mouth, others will trigger hormonal changes, and others still will simply absorb all the moisture in your mouth. Good examples of this include large amounts of dry bread for instance, or potato.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can also exacerbate an already dry mouth<\/a> and end up causing your mouth to get even dryer \u2013 which in turn can make it hard to swallow the coagulated lumps of carbs. Tough cuts of meat are also a culprit of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

8. Diabetes or Yeast Infection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Diabetes<\/a> is a condition that is caused by a low amount of insulin, or a resistance to the effects of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that triggers the body to absorb sugar (glucose) from the blood, in order to be used for fuel or stored as fat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem with this is not only that it causes severe tiredness and lethargy (because the patients are unable to use their primary energy sources), but also because sugar can be highly destructive when it builds up to a large extent in the bloodstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result is that your body has no choice but to expel the sugar which it does via the urine. Therefore one of the most obvious signs that you may be diabetic is a dry mouth and repeatedly running to the toilet \u2013 even when you aren\u2019t drinking a lot. Check with your doctor to make sure this isn\u2019t the case, as diabetes can be very dangerous if untreated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

9. Other Illnesses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are a host of other potential illnesses that are linked with a dry mouth. These include things that might seem completely unconnected \u2013 such as Alzheimer\u2019s! As well as anemia (low iron), cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson\u2019s disease, mumps, the stroke<\/a>\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And there are other conditions as well \u2013 which include vitamin deficiencies. All this might have you worried that there\u2019s something wrong with your health that badly needs checking. The good news though is that it\u2019s actually very unlikely that a dry mouth is caused by anything very serious. While it can be in some cases, it\u2019s far more likely that it\u2019s caused simply by dehydration, medication, or any of the other much milder possibilities that we\u2019ve suggested here so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, don\u2019t panic and don\u2019t assume the worst. But with that said, it certainly won\u2019t hurt to get yourself checked out just to err on the side of caution!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

<\/div>