Dry mouth,
also known as xerostomia, is a dry feeling you experience in your mouth that is
produced from a decrease in the amount of your saliva. This dental problem can
be temporary or a chronic problem.
You are
most likely to have dry mouth when you have a dry, sticky feeling in the mouth
or throat as well as a rough and dry tongue. Besides a dry tongue, a burning
tongue is also one of the signs that you have dry mouth. Because of your dry
and burning tongue, your sense of taste is altered drastically. Moreover, when
you have dry mouth, you have cracked lips, sores or split skin at corners of
your mouth. Sore throat and bad breath are also results of dry mouth, including
infection in your mouth.
Factors
that cause the salivary glands to produce less amount of saliva include certain
medications such as antihistamines and decongestants that are used to treat
allergies and colds, antidepressants, pain killers and diuretics; and medical
conditions such as diabetes and stroke and emotional stress and anxiety. High
blood pressure medications, muscle relaxants and medications for Parkinson’s
disease also produce dry mouth. Even certain cancer therapies like chemotherapy
and radiation treatments cause dry mouth, because they are performed near the
salivary glands in the head and neck region. These therapies reduce the amount
of saliva production.
When you
have these symptoms due to some of these medications, you should let Fishers
dentist know which medications you are taking, including treatments
you are undergoing. You should also inform your dentist about medical conditions
you may have, because he or she needs to know your complete medical history to
ensure that you receive the proper and best treatment.
If not
treated by your Fishers
dentist, dry mouth can cause dire consequences, besides giving you a
dry and uncomfortable feeling in your mouth. Insufficient saliva irritates the
soft tissues of your mouth, making them inflamed and more prone to infection.
Hence, you get a burning tongue which feels sensitive. Dental caries are also
produced in your teeth, leading to tooth decay.
Fishers dentists
do everything they can to treat
dry mouth, because saliva is important. The saliva is almost purely made up of
water with lubricants that help fight infection. It also contains enzymes and
proteins that help you digest food.