What Are the Causes of Dry & Tough Mouth?

A lack of saliva, or dry mouth (also called xerostomia), can cause difficulty with digestion, increase tooth decay, limit swallowing and decrease the ability to taste. Symptoms can include cracked lips, infections or gum disease, bad breath, sore throat and thick saliva.

Nerve Damage

• An injury to the head or neck or surgery that has caused nerve damage in those areas can cause dry-mouth symptoms.

Tobacco Use

• Chewing tobacco or smoking can lead to xerostomia in part because lesser levels of saliva are produced, according to the Universidad del Pais Vasco in Spain.

Cancer Therapy

• Cancer treatments can damage salivary glands when radiation to the neck and head is involved. Damaged glands produce less saliva, which results in a dry, tough-feeling mouth.

Medications

• According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common cause of xerostomia is medication side effects. Hundreds of medications list dry mouth as a possible side effect.

Health Conditions

• Parkinson's disease, depression and Sjogren's syndrome, among others, may cause dry-mouth symptoms. Some sufferers of diseases such as Alzheimer's may believe they have dry mouth even though tests show salivary glands producing at normal levels.