Dry mouth

Xerestomia (dry mouth) is a condition that affects many people with varying degrees of severity. 

Common causes include: medication, cancer therapy, autoimmune diseases (such as Sjögren's disease), diabetes, menopause, snoring and mouth breathing. 

Dry mouth can cause the mouth to become sore and painful, which can affect daily life. It can affect sleep quality, with many people having disturbed nights frequently waking to sip water to moisten their mouths. It can also affect swallowing, eating and speaking. It can increase the risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease, and make it more difficult to stabilise gum disease. This is because the normal cleansing action of saliva is diminished. Your dentist may recommend a high fluoride toothpaste to help reduce the risk of decay.

You may have one or more of the following symptoms:

• a lack of saliva or a thick and sticky saliva

• a sore or sensitive mouth

• bad breath

• problems with keeping your denture in, if you wear them

• difficulty speaking, chewing and/or swallowing food

• a need to drink water frequently throughout the night

• dry and/or cracked lips

There are various products available these days that can help alleviate the symptoms of a dry mouth. Some may work better for you than others. Below are some available products you can try for dry mouth:

XyliMelts

Xylimelts are small discs you place on your gums, teeth or dentures to help stimulate saliva flow. A single disc can provide 2-8 hours of comfort and can be used throughout the day, and overnight while you sleep, hopefully minimising the frequency of wakes. 

For further information please click the link: 

https://xylimelts.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOorwRqrf5W5js3jEBcnDRQ--pqL32zqW6HuGfFeRV7UTQBr0odTq

Oralieve Products

Oralieve are a company who make products dedicated to those suffering with a dry mouth, their website contains a variety of products including mouth gels, sprays and rinses, toothpastes, lozenges and even lip balms. 

For further information, please click the link:

https://www.oralieve-direct.co.uk/collections/all

Tepe Products

No doubt many of you are familiar with the Tepe products, but did you know they also sell hydrating and lubricating mouthwashes and sprays to help ease the discomfort of dry mouth?

For further information, please click the link: 

https://tepedirect.com/collections/mouthwash-mouth-gels

Your dentist may be able prescribe artifical saliva products, which are prescription only, alternatively, your GP should be able to prescribe other dry mouth products.