December 17, 2019
As a dentist in Keller, I often have patients asking “why do I have dry mouth at night?” or “how can I prevent dry mouth”. If you are someone who suffers from dry mouth, you understand the frustration of the condition. Dry mouth interferes with your quality of life, and especially, getting a good night’s sleep. It is quite a common condition and typically exhibits its worst symptoms during the night when you are trying to sleep. The condition is caused by a lack of saliva production in the mouth via the salivary glands. This lack of saliva production leads to a lack of necessary moisture within the mouth. Your family dentist in Keller will reassure you of the important role that saliva plays in the mouth, aside from just keeping it from becoming dry. Saliva helps to suppress the levels of acid and bacteria in the mouth which cause problems such as tooth decay and gum disease, as well as bad breath. Keeping reading to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and remedies for dry mouth.
The symptoms
If you are experiencing dry mouth at night you will likely notice a few or even all of the following symptoms:- Frequently needing to drink water throughout the night
- Waking up because you feel like you can’t get a breath through your mouth – because it is so dry
- A sore throat when you wake up in the morning
- Dry/chapped lips
- Dry scratchy throat
- Bad breath in the morning or even throughout the day
- A buildup of thick saliva in the morning
- A sore tongue
The causes
What people fail to note is that the simple cause of their dry mouth is due to them breathing through their mouth too much while they are sleeping. The reasons for breathing through one’s mouth at night are usually due to one of the following reasons:- A plugged up nasal cavity due to allergies or a cold (swollen tissues in the nose as a result of an irritation)
- Mouth ware such as bite splints, dental retainers, etc.
- Sleep apnea and sleep apnea treatment devices such as a CPAP mask
- Other breathing troubles due to other conditions
- Dehydration (often as a result of excessive consumption of alcohol or caffeine)
Prevention of dry mouth at night
As the best-reviewed dentist in Keller, I recommend the following DIY (do it yourself) solutions at home that can help you to prevent the symptoms of dry mouth at night. While it is important to try and identify the underlying cause, in the meantime, you can try these tactics to help your symptoms:- Put a humidifier in your room at night to help raise the moisture levels in the air
- Avoid the use of tobacco
- Don’t have too much caffeine or alcohol before you go to sleep
- Try to stay away from acidic or spicy foods for dinner
- Avoid eating too late at night
- Drink more water and ensure you stay hydrated
- Try a nasal spray, nasal strips, or a menthol rub before you go to sleep to help open up your nasal cavity
- Chew sugar-free gum during the day (gum triggers the saliva glands to produce more saliva)
- Ensure you are taking good care of your mouth and teeth, i.e., proper brushing and flossing
- Try out available over-the-counter dry mouth sprays, mouthwashes, toothpaste, and gum
