Have you ever noticed a sticky or tacky and dry sensation in your mouth? Dry mouth feels unpleasant, but this condition also puts your oral health at risk in many ways. This problem can occur for a number of reasons, including contributors outside of your control.
Chronic dry mouth may need an evaluation from your dentist to amend. But less severe issues might go away with efforts completed on your own. Then you can resolve the problem and keep your smile safe from many dental complications. Read on to find three methods you can relieve mild dry mouth symptoms from the comfort of your home.
3 Ways to Stop Dry Mouth Symptoms
Drink Plenty of Water
A common cause of dry mouth is dehydration. When your body does not have enough water, you will produce less saliva, which will leave you with dry mouth. You should drink plenty of water to fight dry mouth.
Otherwise, dry mouth can allow bacteria to spread with greater ease across your teeth, putting you in danger of oral infections and other dental concerns. Dentists and health experts agree you should have at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water per day to stay hydrated. If you consume caffeine or other elements that tend to dehydrate you, you may need to drink more water to compensate.
The act of drinking water will add moisture to your mouth in an acute way as well as address the root problem when it comes to dry mouth. This will also reduce your risk of bad breath and similar issues related to dry mouth.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum
If you feel dry mouth symptoms, you can encourage saliva production in your mouth with the act of chewing. In order to not disrupt your diet by eating when not hungry, you should try chewing gum. Preferably, you should choose sugar-free gum when you do this.
Sugar infamously poses a risk to your dental structure because it becomes acidic when it reacts with your saliva. Then you will have a higher chance of forming cavities and other irreversible dental damage. So protect your oral health by chewing sugar-free gum as well as fighting dry mouth.
Evaluate Environmental Factors
If you start to develop frequent dry mouth, pay attention to your surroundings when these symptoms occur. For instance, if a certain room or certain weather conditions tend to leave you with dry mouth, your oral health might rely on environmental factors. You can alter these external conditions in order to relieve your dry mouth and preserve your oral health.
If a room has dry air, which may happen more often during the winter months, you can purchase a humidifier. This machine will add moisture to the air to make it less likely to dry out your mouth as a result. But if you do not see a pattern when it comes to your dry mouth symptoms, consult your dentist about your concerns.