Having a dry mouth makes it uncomfortable to do basic things like breathe, speak, and swallow. Kind of important stuff. The good news is that many of the causes of dry mouth can be easily fixed. But sometimes, lack of saliva is a symptom of a larger health issue that needs to be addressed. In every case, to fix dry mouth you need to first get to the bottom of what's causing it.
"One of the biggest reasons dry mouth is important is that saliva breaks down bacteria in our mouth," Natasha Bhuyan, M.D., a family doctor at One Medical in Phoenix, Arizona, tells SELF. "Saliva is kind of your first line of defense in keeping your mouth healthy." Saliva also plays a role in digestion, starting to break down food before it leaves your mouth. And dry mouth can lead to other conditions like oral thrush, a yeast infection that can develop in the lining of your mouth and needs to be treated with prescription anti-fungal medication.
Ready to get that saliva flowing again? Here are the most common causes of dry mouth and how to fix them.
“If you have dry mouth and try drinking more water to fix it but it doesn’t solve or cure it, it could mean there’s an underlying medical issue,” Dr. Bhuyan says. The most likely medical explanation is Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the glands that make tears and saliva. The two most common symptoms are dry eyes and dry mouth, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Some other autoimmune diseases can also impact salivary-gland production, causing the mouth to feel a bit dry. Sjogren’s oftentimes accompanies other autoimmune disorders like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, so if you have one of those and are noticing your mouth is extra dry, it could mean you’ve developed Sjogren’s too. Your doctor may suggest chewing on sugar-free gum, sucking on lozenges, or using an over-the-counter artificial saliva rinse or spray, or he or she may write you a prescription for a drug that increases natural saliva production.
There are actually a lot of medications that can cause dry mouth. The most common culprits are antihistamines and ADD medications like Adderall. Some depression and anxiety meds can also cause dry mouth, as can decongestants like Sudafed, Amy Esposito, M.D., an NYC-based doctor who works with Oscar health, tells SELF.
“That’s because of the way it constricts blood vessels,” Dr. Bhuyan explains. “It’s intended to fix nasal congestion, but the medicine can’t just target nasal vessels, so it just makes everything dry.” Dry mouth is also a common side effect of pain medications and muscle relaxers. “People don’t often realize that,” says Dr. Bhuyan.” Nonprescription illicit drugs like methamphetamine and other stimulants are known to cause dry mouth as well.
Mouth-breathing all night long is bound to leave your mouth feeling like the Sahara. And one of the joys of snoring is that, unless you have a bed partner to tell you about it, you may not realize you do it. If you experience dry mouth mostly in the morning, this may be why. “If you always wake up with dry mouth, that’s a clinical indication of sleep apnea,” Dr. Bhuyan says. It's worth getting evaluated by a sleep specialist to find out and get your alleged snoring under control.
Smoking tobacco can decrease saliva production and cause dry mouth. It’s not a good habit to have anyway, so here's another reason to kick it. You can try some methods to try to quit smoking on your own, but you may ultimately need to work with an addiction specialist or other clinician who can help guide you through the often challenging process. The American Lung Association also has some helpful resources for anyone trying to quit smoking.
"The most common cause of dry mouth is dehydration," Dr. Esposito says. Fortunately, it's also the easiest to fix. “If you’re not drinking enough water and you’re dehydrated, you’ll probably have a dry mouth,” Dr. Bhuyan says. “All you need to do is drink more water and you should feel better.” Here are some other signs of dehydration, some of which are more subtle and easier to miss.
“Anyone with a deviated septum or nasal polyps may have a hard time breathing through the nose, so they’ll breathe through the mouth,” Dr. Bhuyan says. Cue the dryness. “You might think this is normal for you and may not even realize you have a deviated septum or other sinus issue.” If you typically have trouble breathing out of your nose (and not just when you have a nasty cold), check in with your doctor to see if there’s a structural issue. FYI, sinus issues can also contribute to snoring, so the two may be in cahoots.
HIV/AIDS is another health condition that can can cause dry mouth, but of course this isn’t going to be the most likely cause. It’s also possible that another virus or infection could be causing your dry mouth, so Dr. Bhuyan suggests following up with a doctor if the problem doesn’t resolve after employing some of the dry-mouth remedies below.
Dr. Bhuyan underscores that for many, dry mouth is caused by dehydration, so drinking more water should fix the problem. If you’re drinking or eating approximately eight glasses a day and your urine is clear (a sign of excellent hydration), you should feel better.
You can also try chewing sugar-free gum to increase saliva production.
Avoid smoking and drug use, and if you think any of your prescription medications are causing dry mouth, check in with your doctor to see what you can do.
If your dryness sets in at night or is worst first thing in the morning, try sleeping with a humidifier. “Some doctors recommend you sleep with a humidifier; it moisturizes the room and can help keep you moisturized,” says Dr. Bhuyan. (It’s also a great remedy for dry skin, so there’s a nice little bonus.)
Last, make sure you’re keeping your teeth and gums clean. “Dry mouth makes you more likely to get tooth decay because you don’t have the saliva there to break down the bacteria,” Dr. Bhuyan says. So make sure to stay on top of your dental health by brushing those pearly whites twice each day.
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