What to Do About Nightly Dry Mouth

You wake up in the middle of the night, have dry mouth, and don’t think it is a big deal, right? That is how most people react. They get up, get a glass of water, and go back to bed. However, this could be a serious sign of some major medical problem.

Why Should I Be Worried About Dry Mouth?

That little annoyance of dry mouth can actually contribute to far larger problems, such as tooth decay. If your mouth is always dry at night, you are not producing enough saliva. This can lead to massive bacteria growth, which can then lead to more cavities, problems swallowing, and possible infection.

Causes of Dry Mouth

If you are only occasionally experiencing dry mouth, it is something that can usually be addressed by chewing gum, sucking on a lozenge, or drinking a glass of water. However, if this is something you are experiencing on a nightly basis, some of the following could be the cause:

·Eating Habits – because we eat less food as the night progresses, we naturally produce less saliva at night than during the day when we are eating our breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So, continue to drink water after dinner to ensure you stay properly hydrated all day and night.

·Medications – the ADA has over 500 medications listed that can cause dry mouth. So, if your regular doctor has changed your medications recently, you may want to check with your primary care physician or pharmacist to see if your new meds could be causing this problem.

·Medical Conditions – chemo patients often complain of dry mouth, as do those suffering from autoimmune disease. Being dehydrated is another reason you may experience dry mouth.

·Lifestyle – habitual smokers will often experience dry mouth, an impact that can be lessened simply by stop smoking.

When to See the Doctor

If you are experiencing continued symptoms, it is time to not only see your primary care physician, but also your dentist. In some cases, your doctor may be able to prescribe different medications to alleviate the problem or give you a better idea of what you actually need to do to avoid the side effects of the medication.

Because they may already be some damage done to your teeth, we would recommend seeing a dentist as soon as possible for a checkup, even if it is before your normally scheduled visit. You only get one set of teeth, so you want to make sure you are taking care of them.

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Photo Courtesy of Tharakorn Arunothai via 123RF Photos.