What Causes a Dry Mouth so Dry That You Cannot Talk?
Having an exceptionally dry mouth can be more than an annoyance: It can be uncomfortable and severe enough that even talking becomes difficult. Also called xerostomia, dry mouth occurs when saliva decreases substantially. The causes of dry mouth syndrome may be temporary or related to some underlying cause or disease 12. Dry mouth can become a chronic condition, requiring treatment.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Function
Saliva is made up of 99 percent water plus infection-fighting lubricants, enzymes and proteins that assist in digestion. The average healthy adult produces approximately three pints of saliva every day. Saliva is essential to keeping soft tissues of the mouth healthy and helping wash away food debris. It also neutralizes the acids produced by plaque, which can cause tooth decay. Without saliva's lubricating effects, you may experience difficulty in swallowing, chewing, tasting and your ability to talk can be diminished.
- Saliva is made up of 99 percent water plus infection-fighting lubricants, enzymes and proteins that assist in digestion.
- Saliva is essential to keeping soft tissues of the mouth healthy and helping wash away food debris.
Causes
A Dry, Pasty Mouth
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Older adults tend to experience this annoying syndrome more than young people. Sore throat, hoarseness and dry nasal passages may also accompany dry mouth.
Medications
Prescription medications and over-the-counter medicines may be the root cause of dry mouth. Decongestants, diuretics, water pills and muscle relaxants may also contribute to the discomfort of dry mouth.
Health
What Does it Mean When You Wake Up With a Dry Mouth?
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Certain medical conditions and their treatments contribute to dry mouth. People undergoing cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation near the salivary glands in their head and/or neck, often experience trauma and damage to these glands so severe, they can no longer produce enough saliva. In some cases, people may produce no saliva at all. An autoimmune disease, called Sjogren's syndrome affects the moisture-producing glands in the mouth and the eyes, which results in severe dryness. People with diabetes, Alzheimer's and stroke also may experience dry mouth.
- Certain medical conditions and their treatments contribute to dry mouth.
- An autoimmune disease, called Sjogren's syndrome affects the moisture-producing glands in the mouth and the eyes, which results in severe dryness.
Stress
"Fight or flight" is a term that describes a process your body goes through when you are frightened, excited, anxious or acutely stressed. The process involves increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, constricting of blood vessels and drying up of mucous membranes in the eyes and mouth. Your body signals you to either run or fight. Adrenaline and cortisol are released and your body responds in a cascade of physical reactions. Frequent bouts of stress cause decreased saliva and the soft tissues in your mouth become irritated, inflamed and susceptible to infection.
- "Fight or flight" is a term that describes a process your body goes through when you are frightened, excited, anxious or acutely stressed.
Significance
Serious conditions can result from poor mouth hygiene, including cardiovascular disease, bacterial pneumonia, osteoporosis and even cancer.
Prevention/Solution
Consumer Guide to Dentistry recommends that you speak with your dentist and perhaps a periodontist if you experience moderate or severe dry mouth that interferes with swallowing and talking 1. You also can suck on sugar-free candy, increase your fluids to include:
- frequent sips of water
- chew sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva
- suck on ice chips,
- use oral sprays or gels formulated to increase moisture
The Journal of the American Dental Association cautions you to avoid caffeine, alcohol, consumption of carbonated beverages, and tobacco products. The ADA also recommends brushing and flossing twice per day and using cleansing, anti-bacterial mouth rinses.
- Consumer Guide to Dentistry recommends that you speak with your dentist and perhaps a periodontist if you experience moderate or severe dry mouth that interferes with swallowing and talking 1.
- You also can suck on sugar-free candy, increase your fluids to include: * frequent sips of water
* chew sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva
* suck on ice chips,
* use oral sprays or gels formulated to increase moisture The Journal of the American Dental Association cautions you to avoid caffeine, alcohol, consumption of carbonated beverages, and tobacco products.
Related Articles
References
- Consumer Guide to Dentistry: Dry Mouth Syndrome
- Drymouth.info: What Causes Dry Mouth?
- American Dental Association (ADA). Xerostomia (Dry Mouth). Department of Scientific Information, ADA Science Institute. Updated July 9, 2019.
- Bartels C. Xerostomia. The Oral Cancer Foundation. Updated October 15, 2018
- Barnhart MK, Robinson RA, Simms VA, et al. Treatment toxicities and their impact on oral intake following non-surgical management for head and neck cancer: a 3-year longitudinal study. Support Care Cancer. 2018;26(7):2341-2351. doi:10.1007/s00520-018-4076-6
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Candida Infections Of The Mouth, Throat, And Esophagus | Fungal Diseases | CDC. National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases (DFWED). Updated November 13, 2019.
- V Sankar, N Rhodus, & the AAOM Web Writing Group. Xerostomia. The American Academy of Oral Medicine. Updated October 15, 2015.
- Rusthen S, Kristoffersen AK, Young A, Galtung HK, Petrovski BÉ, Palm Ø et al. Dysbiotic salivary microbiota in dry mouth and primary Sjögren's syndrome patients. PLoS One. 2019 Jun 18;14(6):e0218319. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218319.
- V Sankar, N Rhodus & the AAOM Web Writing Group. Dry Mouth. The American Academy of Oral Medicine. Updated October 15, 2015.
- American Dental Association. Dry Mouth. Mouth Healthy. Updated January 2019.
- Men K, Geng H, Zhong H, Fan Y, Lin A, Xiao Y. A deep learning model for predicting xerostomia due to radiotherapy for head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma in the RTOG 0522 clinical trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2019 Jun 12. pii: S0360-3016(19)30834-X. doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.06.009.
- National Institutes of Health. Dry Mouth. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Updated January 2019.
Writer Bio
Jean Jenkins has been writing professionally since 1994. She has written medical research materials for the American Parkinson's Association, the Colorado Neurological Institute and the Autism Society of America. Jenkins has specialized in neurology, labor and delivery, high-risk obstetrics and autism spectrum disorders. She holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Colorado.