Why do you get dry mouth at night?

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Dry mouth while sleeping can seem like an annoying thing that sometimes happens at night. If these conditions are treated, they can significantly affect your life, including your eating, speaking, and general oral health. So what causes dry mouth at night?

1. What is dry mouth?

Dry mouth (xerostomia) during sleep seems like an annoying thing that sometimes happens at night. But if dry mouth symptoms occur frequently, you need to get treatment. If these conditions are treated, they can affect your life significantly, including eating, speaking and your general oral health
Saliva is essential for tooth and gum health . Saliva contains enzymes in saliva that aid in digestion. If you dry your mouth overnight, your oral health could be affected without you even knowing it.
Symptoms of dry mouth at night can include:
Thick saliva Bad breath Taste changes Problems wearing dentures Difficulty chewing or swallowing Sore throat Grooving tongue If you don't have enough saliva, you may increase the appearance of plaque in the mouth as well as thrush and mouth sores.

2. What causes dry mouth at night?

Dry mouth at night is a fairly common symptom experienced by many people, especially those over 65 years old. This is because, as we age, the production of saliva decreases by up to 40%.
If you only experience dry mouth at night, it could be due to a stuffy nose that makes you can only breathe through your mouth.
Many medications can also have the side effect of causing dry mouth or worsening symptoms. In fact, it is estimated that up to 60% of regularly prescribed medications can have a side effect of dry mouth. This includes:
Blood pressure medications Antihistamines Antidepressants Anti-anxiety medications Other possible causes include:
Diabetes Sjogren's syndrome Chemotherapy Radiation Nervous damage Drug use If you are suffering from dry mouth while sleeping, you should consult your doctor. Together, you can talk about your lifestyle choices and any side effects of medications you're taking.

3. Treat dry mouth at night at home

Here are some home remedies to help treat dry mouth at night:
Keep a glass of water by your bed in case you wake up at night with a dry mouth. Avoid using mouthwash that contains alcohol as it can dry out your mouth. Buy alcohol-free mouthwash. Use humidifiers in the room at night to maintain moisture in the air. Try to breathe through your nose and not your mouth. You need to reduce your caffeine intake. Caffeine can make dry mouth worse. You might consider using sugar-free gum or sucking on sugar-free candy. Stop using tobacco Limit your use of antihistamines or decongestants, which can dry out your mouth. Drink water throughout the day and limit salty foods, especially at night.

4. Treatment for dry mouth at night

Any treatment for dry mouth depends on the root cause of the condition. Therefore, the treatment for dry mouth at night can be different for each person.
If your dry mouth at night is caused by medication you are taking and home remedies are not working, your doctor may want to switch you over or adjust the dose.
Your doctor or dentist may prescribe certain medications that help your body produce saliva or, in certain cases, fit you with a fluoride bracket to wear at night to help prevent tooth decay.
Your doctor may also prescribe certain types of over-the-counter products that you can use (available to buy online):
Alcohol-free mouthwash Dry mouth toothpaste Artificial saliva Lozenges stimulate salivation If your dry mouth is caused by a nasal problem such as a severely deviated septum that causes you to sleep with your mouth open to breathe, your doctor may recommend surgery. A septum septum surgery is a commonly performed procedure to correct a deviated septum. Nocturnal dry mouth symptoms associated with nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum usually resolve later.

5. What is the outlook for dry mouth at night?

Dry mouth at night can be uncomfortable, which can also be harmful to your oral health. Many cases of dry mouth can be treated with lifestyle changes and medications. Rarely, this symptom may be due to a deviated septum and requires more intensive treatment.
It's important to treat the cause of your dry mouth so you can maintain your mouth's healing

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Reference source: healthline.com