Dry mouth

Dry mouth - what does this symptom show, what are the causes and what can be done to eliminate it?

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Causes of the dry mouth

Sensations of dryness can be triggered by the following reasons: 

• Poisoning of the body, intoxication with food, alcohol products, as a result of dehydration of the mucous membrane of the larynx and mouth. 
• Drug intoxication, including narcotic. 
• Violation of the respiratory function - snoring, nasal congestion, atony of the soft palate, as a result - dry mouth. 
• Nicotinic poisoning, when the oral mucosa comes into intense contact with tarry substances of tobacco. In addition, nicotine narrows the microcapillaries of salivary glands, as a result - salivation decreases. 
• Diarrhea. General dehydration leads to a feeling of dryness. 
• Diabetes. 
• Endocrine diseases. 
• Dyskinesia of bile ducts. 
• The lowered level of hemoglobin, all kinds of anemia.
• Arthritis, arthrosis. 
• High blood pressure. 
• Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease. 
• Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune pathology of connective tissues, their degenerative degeneration. 
• Elevated body temperature, feverish conditions. 
• Epidemic parotitis (mumps). 
• Dental diseases (caries, parodontosis). 
• Vomiting. 
• Craniocerebral injury. 
• Mikulich disease is a secondary disease, the symptom of which are lymphocytic tumors of the glands of the oral cavity. 
• Surgical removal of salivary glands. 
• Consequence of chemotherapy. 
• Age changes in the salivary glands (old age). 
• Dehydration due to intense physical exertion.

Dry mouth, accompanied by dizziness, fever, nausea, is a secondary sign of a serious illness that requires comprehensive examination and medical care.

Dry mouth has a medical definition - xerostomia. The lack of saliva, which helps to chew food, counteracts bacteria that are on the teeth and mucous membrane, neutralizes acids, may indicate the development of the disease or show temporary dysfunction of the organ or system as a result of intoxication.

Dry mouth, which lasts a long time, can provoke an erosive process in the mucosa, as a consequence - it is possible to attach secondary ones. The first stage of dryness, as a rule, is not noted as uncomfortable, a person simply does not pay attention to dry mouth, considering it a temporary phenomenon. The peculiarity of the second stage is the decompensation of the salivary glands, dryness already brings a lot of unpleasant sensations, often interferes with talking and even eating. Signs of xerostomia are seen on mucous membranes, they acquire a pale shade. The pathological stage of xerostomia is characterized by an almost complete suppression of the salivary gland function, dry mouth becomes constant, causes quite a lot of pain. As a rule, glossitis (inflammation of the tongue), periodontitis and stomatitis are added to the dryness as a concomitant pathology. The mucous membrane is covered with erosive foci. Additional signs of xerostomia are an unpleasant smell, difficulty with swallowing not only food, but also liquid.

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Treatment of the dry mouth

Eliminate dry mouth can be symptomatic, because xerostomia is not a separate nosological unit, it is rather a secondary disease that accompanies the underlying pathological process. 

First of all, complex sanation of the oral cavity is carried out - elimination of dental diseases and injuries. 

It is prescribed a gentle rinse, designed to moisten the dehydrated mucous membrane of the mouth. Solutions are prepared at home, or buy pharmaceutical products manufactured extemporally. You can independently prepare a mixture of olive oil with the addition of sea buckthorn oil. 

Assign rinses with tinctures containing alcohol and anti-inflammatory extracts (tincture of calendula, tincture of St. John's wort). These funds are intended to activate the process of salivation. Rinses spends 20-30 minutes before the start of eating. 

Prescribed drugs containing retinol - vitamin A. Retinol-containing drugs have a wound-healing effect, in addition, they activate local immunity. 

Physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed-electrophoresis, galvanization (the effect of an electric current on a given frequency on the salivary glands). 

Assign holinostimuliruyuschie drugs locally - pilocarpine, galantamine.

Dry mouth can also be reduced by regular intake of liquid in small portions. If the patient prefers to drink water, it is better to choose mineral still, or purified, filtered water. Well-established phyto-products - chamomile, calendula, decoction of leaves or berries of sea-buckthorn. Despite the fact that the juice of an orange or apple contains acids, their reception is also shown as a method of additional treatment. All juices containing acid, activate the process of salivation. In addition, the patient should be excluded from the diet of solid foods, dry foods, salty and sweet dishes. And moderately spicy food on the contrary helps to eliminate dry mouth, since spices, especially hot peppers, contain capsaicin (alkaloid), which provokes salivation.

Dryness in the mouth is treatable provided that the root cause is clarified and the provoking factor is eliminated.