HAVE DRY MOUTH? TRY THESE 11 HOME REMEDIES

Does your mouth always seem dried out, no matter what you do? You might have a condition appropriately named dry mouth. This means your mouth doesn’t have an adequate supply of saliva. Since saliva washes your mouth out of bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease, it’s important to your dentist that you have enough of it. Luckily, there are plenty of home remedies you can employ to treat it. Here are eleven of them.

1. Drink More Water

If you’re experiencing dry mouth, first make sure that you’re drinking plenty of water. Try to sip it constantly throughout the day to avoid the upset stomach that can come from chugging a whole bunch of water at once.

2. Improve Your Oral Hygiene

Did you know that poor dental health can cause dry mouth? Ideally, you should brush and floss after every meal or snack to keep your mouth clean and healthy. Another good idea is to use a tongue scraper to remove bacteria from the tongue that can cause decay, gum disease, and bad breath.

3. Rinse With Alcohol-free Mouthwash

Alcohol can kill bacteria in the mouth, but it also dries out your mouth. Choose mouthwash with ingredients like xylitol and betaine, which may help kill bacteria but also moisten the mouth.

4. Suck On A Sugarless Lozenge

Sucking on a sugar-free candy or lozenge keeps your mouth closed and helps your saliva circulate. Just be sure you stick to the sugarless variety, as sugary candies can result in cavities.

5. Chew Sugar-free Gum

The act of chewing stimulates the production of saliva, which could prevent your mouth from drying out. Again, make sure your gum has no sugar.

6. Use Ginger

According to a 2017 study, ginger spray could be a great alternative treatment for people with dry mouth. You could also try drinking ginger tea.

7. Try Over-the-counter Products

There are some store-bought products that contain medicines or artificial forms of saliva that are designed to stop dry mouth in its tracks. These lozenges, mouth rinses, sprays, and more can provide temporary relief.

8. Use A Humidifier

Dry mouth can worsen if you spend a lot of time indoors. Keep a humidifier in the rooms you’re in most to keep your airways moist.

9. Ask Your Doctor About Medication Side Effects

Many medications cause dry mouth, including drugs to treat problems like obesity, hypertension, and asthma. If you’re taking medication for one of those conditions, consult your doctor about alternatives.

10. Quit Smoking

Smoking dries out the mouth by heating it up and evaporating saliva. Relieving dry mouth is just one of the many benefits to come from quitting smoking.

11. Breathe With Your Mouth Closed

If you can, make a conscious effort to breathe through your nose. Breathing out of your mouth can dry it out.

Dry mouth can cause serious dental problems like cavities and gum disease. Thankfully, there are plenty of home remedies at your disposal to treat it.

About The Author

Dr. R. Scott Thompson holds a Fellowship status with both the International College of Dentists and the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. He has also served for many years as the Ethics Co-Chair of the local chapter of the American Dental Association. He focuses on getting to know each patient’s oral health goals before going through with any treatment. To learn more about Dr. Thompson, visit his website.