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How Does a Person Get Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth is also called xerostomia. It is a common condition and impacts approximately one in every four or five adults. This condition is especially common in women.

  1. Dry Mouth

    • Dry mouth is caused by a decrease in saliva. Saliva has more than one function in our body. It not only moistens our mouths but it aids in taste, digestion, swallowing and protection of your teeth among other things. Generally, dry mouth is seen as an indicator of a larger problem.

    Medications

    • Many medications cause dry mouth as a side effect. According to www.drymouth.info there are over 1800 drugs that can give you dry mouth. Individuals taking multiple drugs are also at risk for developing dry mouth.

    Disease

    • There are medical diseases and syndromes that cause a decrease in saliva also. The most commonly known condition is Sjogren's Syndrome. This is an autoimmune condition that generalized dryness everywhere. Other conditions that cause or are associated with dry mouth include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, diabetes, AIDS, bone marrow transplants and dehydration.

    Aging

    • Aging has an impact on saliva production. The older we get the less saliva our body produces. This doesn't lead to full dry mouth but is a contributing factor.

    Decrease in Ability to Chew

    • Various factors can cause an individual to not be able to chew and eat food normally. When this occurs the salivary glands begin to shrink from non use and produce less saliva which leads to dryness.

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