Feeling like your mouth is as dry as the Sahara? While dry mouth is fairly common if this is a problem you are dealing with regularly then you may be wondering what’s going on and why it’s happening to you. Common causes of dry mouth include:
Medications
There are some medications in which dry mouth is a common side effect. Dry mouth is more common in allergy meds, anti-anxiety drugs, anti-depressants, cold medications, acne treatments, high blood pressure medication, asthma inhalers, or muscle relaxants.
Certain Health Disorders
Dry mouth could also be indicative of a health condition. Those with HIV, diabetes, anemia, high blood pressure, or hypertension are more likely to deal with dry mouth.
Dehydration
Did you know that most Americans aren’t drinking enough water? If you are one of them, then it’s only natural that you’re going to deal with dry mouth. If you are losing fluids through vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are participating in sports during the summer, you must be consuming enough fluids and staying hydrated to offset the increased loss of fluid.
Lifestyle habits
Certain habits could also be contributing to your dry mouth. If you are a mouth breather this is a common reason you could be dealing with this pesky problem. Those who smoke or use tobacco products are also more likely to deal with dry mouth.
What are the signs of dry mouth?
While it might be obvious that a dry mouth will feel, well dry, there are other symptoms associated with dry mouth including,
- Sore or irritated throat
- Excessive thirst
- Changes in taste
Less obvious symptoms include hoarseness or dry eyes.
When should I see a doctor?
We all know that not drinking enough water or even being stressed out can lead to the occasional bout of dry mouth, but if you are dealing with this problem regularly it’s important to see a doctor since this could be a sign of an underlying health problem that will most likely require treatment.
If you are dealing with persistent dry mouth an ENT doctor can determine what’s going on and how to best combat it. Since dry mouth has the ability to lead to bad breath, decay, and gum disease, it’s a good idea to get this problem under control.