Dry mouth affects about 65% of the population according to the American Academy of Oral Medicine. Many patients might experience oral dryness and accept it as part of their life without seeking treatment or mentioning it to a dental professional.
In this article, you will find some of the signs of dry mouth and how to manage this condition and prevent some complications associated with it.
The medical name for dry mouth is Xerostomia, and it is a reduction of salivary flow. Most of the saliva is produced on the parotid glands located by your cheeks and ears, followed by the lingual and submandibular glands.
What is the function of Saliva?
- It carries enzymes to help us digest food.
- It moistens food to create a bolus for easy passage through the esophagus.
- It carries buffers to neutralize the pH on plaque, hence preventive demineralization of tooth structure which can lead to caries lesion.
- It protects the oral mucosa and tongue from irritants such as bacteria and fungus.
- It cleanses the teeth from small food particles.
Hyposalivation is associated with many factors. The American Dental Association states there are over 400 medications that cause dry mouth as a side effect.
The most well-known prescriptions to do so are antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, bronchodilators, and certain hypertension medications. Other factors contributing to low saliva flow are aging, smoking, radiation therapy to the neck and head, and some diseases and conditions such as HIV/AIDS, Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Thyroid dysfunctions, and Sjogren’s Syndrome just to mention a few.
You might be experiencing dry mouth by having dry or chapped lips, mouth sores, fissured tongue, and mucosa. When talking, you might see or feel salivary threads forming between the bottom and top teeth or lips.
Additional side effects of dry mouth include enamel erosion and rampant caries. Other symptoms described by patients are burning or tingling sensation of the mucosa and tongue, difficulty swallowing dry foods, bad breath, altered taste buds, thirst, and cottonmouth.
Once the medical history and medication have been reviewed by a dentist, there are many products that can be recommended.
To start off, there are a wide variety of over-the-counter medications to treat the symptoms of Xerostomia.
The most popular brands are Biotene, ACT, Colgate, and Therabreath, and they are available as mouthwashes, lozenges, xylitol mints and gums, gels, and sprays.
Most over-the-counter products help to stimulate salivary flow or are used as saliva substitutes. Usually, they are taken as needed throughout the day. Prescription Saliva substitutes are available as well, such as Cephosol, NeutraSal, and SalivaMax.
The FDA has also approved two systemic medications that need to be prescribed by a medical professional. One of them is pilocarpine, known by its brand name Salagen, which is a tablet to treat oral dryness associated with radiation therapy, and the second one is cevimeline, known as Evoxac, a pill which is used to treat oral dryness associated with Sjogren’s Syndrome.
The latest prescription spray available in the market is 3M Xerostomia Relief Spray and is the only lipid-based solution that coats the mucosa, throat, and tongue to prevent water loss and restore elasticity.
All medications, over the counter or prescription, should be taken with caution as they also have their own side effects and contraindications. Other recommendations include using lip balm, sipping on water, licking ice cubes, and avoiding tobacco, alcohol, salty and spicy foods.
Your hygienist or dentist might recommend doing in-office 5% Fluoride Varnish to prevent enamel erosion and rampant cavities. If you opt to do fluoride home therapy, it includes prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste such as Colgate Prevident 5000 or 3M Clinpro 5000.
There are also dry Mouth gels to lessen symptoms and MI paste to apply as a topical tooth cream after brushing and flossing. MI Paste offers calcium, phosphate, and fluoride (formula without fluoride also available) to mineralize weakened enamel.
Over-the-counter medications might not be a cookie-cutter solution for everyone and some trial and error might be needed by the patient to find the best product that treats the symptoms and does not create any additional side effects.
Schedule a comprehensive exam and start treating the symptoms of dry mouth right away.
Jennifer Pettit, CRDH.
HQ DONTICS Team.
If you have any questions or need more information, you can contact us!
Disclaimer: This blog post is a modified version of the Xerostomia article originally posted on Dentistry IQ on June 24th, 2019, and written by our own Hygienist, Jennifer Pettit.
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