With Reflexologist Nuria Weaver
Home Remedies for Dry Mouth
The salivary glands present in our mouth helps to keep our mouth moist. Out mouth becomes dry if the saliva secretion decreases. Dry mouth is also known as 'xerostomia'. It is the root of several oral diseases. It increases the chances of gingivitis, tooth decay and oral infections. When we eat our food gets mixed with saliva inside our mouth. This aids the digestion. Dry mouth is also responsible to slow down digestion to some extent.
Causes of dry mouth:
- Breathing through mouth may lead to dryness in mouth.
- Smoking and chewing tobacco drops the saliva secretion leading to dryness in mouth.
- Dehydration or excessive water loss due to perspiration, vomiting, burns, fevers and bleeding
- Side effects of certain drugs or medical treatments
- Removal of salivary glands, injury and nerve damage can reduce saliva production leading to dry mouth.
- Diabetes, arthritis, rheumatoid, mumps, hypertension, stroke, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease can also cause dry mouth.
Symptoms of dry mouth:
- Individual may experience dryness in the throat instead of dryness in the mouth.
- Bad breath
- Excessive thirst
- Burning sensation inside the mouth
- Dry and reddish tongue
- Mouth sores
- Dryness in the nasal passages
- Crack in voice
- Difficulty in swallowing, eating and even talking
If you are having dry mouth you have good news that there are plenty of home remedies for dry mouth to fix your problem. You can follow these remedies with products available at your home.
Home remedies for dry mouth are as follows:
- Consume enough water. Try to take 8 glasses of water daily and each glass should measure 8 ounces. After every meal drink adequate amount of water. Try to smooth the passage of food by adding fluid in your meal such as stew, gravy, sauce, soup or broth. Try slippery and softer foods such as noodles and yoghurt. Drinking water to combat dehydration is one of the beneficial home remedies for dry mouth.
- Dry mouth is often a consequence of dehydration. It becomes vital to give the body electrolytes to overcome the problem. Make a mixture of half a teaspoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of sugar in a cup of water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and lime juice to it. Drink the solution. This is one of the effective home remedies for dry mouth.
- Take pits from fruits such as cherries, nectarines, peaches. This will increase the flow of saliva without adding fat calories to your diet. This is also one of the helpful home remedies for dry mouth.
- Celery is very helpful in dry mouth. It has lot of water content. It aids to rouse the salivary lands and keeps your mouth moist. Consume celery to get rid of dry mouth. This is also one of the beneficial home remedies for dry mouth.
- Dry mouth is often accompanied by bad breath. Parsley, fennel and aniseed are some natural breath freshening agents. Parsley is an excellent source of nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamins C and A. Make a mixture of teaspoon each of fennel and rosemary or aniseed and fennel to keep your mouth moist. You can also saturate a mixture of 1 teaspoon rich of dried mint, aniseed and rosemary with 2 1/2 cups of boiling water. Use this water to gargle several times a day. This is one of the valuable home remedies for dry mouth.
- If you have a dry mouth you may not differentiate between the tastes of foods. Use lot of cayenne pepper in meals to stir up the salivary glands. Include salsa; take some chili or anything flavorful to encourage the salivary glands to secrete juices. This is one of the positive home remedies for dry mouth.
- You may also chew some fennel seeds to keep mouth moist. Instead of having tea and coffee combine cayenne pepper in tomato juice and drink it as an alternative. This is also one of the efficient home remedies for dry mouth.
Tips to follow for curing dry mouth:
Sleep with your mouth closed and try to breathe from your nose.
Wash your mouth several times a day with salt water, fluoride, lime juice, glycerin, plain water or a mixture of water. Inhale in steam and maintain moist air at home with humidifiers.
When the problem cannot be determined or cannot be solved try the simple tips to improve your dry mouth symptoms:
Chew up sugar-free gum or take sugar-free hard candies.
Reduce intake of coffee, tea, aerated beverages and soft drinks as they can make your mouth drier. Avoid acidic or sugary foods and candies. They increase the chances of tooth decay. Instead of using any normal toothpaste use a toothpaste containing fluoride. You can also use a fluoride rinse or fluoride brush-on gel before bedtime.
Avoid all kind of tobacco use. Avoid mouthwash that contains alcohol as it will lead to drying of the mouth. Eat fiber rich fruits and vegetables. Fruits we eat should provide 20 percent of the total fluid intake. Include peaches, watermelon, cucumbers, nectarines and popsicles in your diet to increase the amount of fluid intake.
You can also drink papaya juice to prevent dry mouth. Papaya has an enzyme called papain. It helps to slender the thick oral secretions related to dry mouth. Drink 100% papaya juice as a treatment for dry mouth at home. Avoid dry and salty foods to prevent dry mouth. Crackers, pastries and toasts can aggravate dry mouth symptoms. Instead have some healthy snacks like smoothies and fruits.
Drinking lemonade is also a good home remedy for dry mouth. It stimulates the saliva activity and relief dry mouth. Try these home remedies for dry mouth and if the symptoms persist consult a dentist.
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