Dry Mouth occurs when there is a significant reduction in the production of saliva.
Causes
Dry Mouth is most commonly a side effect of prescribed medication or treatment for another complaint such as:
Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy to the head and neck
Sjögren's syndrome
Rheumatoid arthritis
Stroke or Parkinson's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Nerve damage
Diabetes
HIV/AIDS
Anaemia
In these cases saliva substitutes are most commonly used to provide patients with soothing relief. Less severe cases of dry mouth may also be caused by:
Breathing through the mouth
Anxiety
Smoking
Drinking alcohol
In these instances prevention is always better than cure; however, you can control dry mouth with the use of moisturising mint lozenges.
