Do you also wake up with a dry, achy, or sore throat every morning?
I have had this problem of dry mouth while sleeping for quite some time and I used to wonder why do I wake up with a dry mouth or why my mouth gets so dry at night?
That is when I started digging into how to prevent dry mouth while sleeping.
So let us explore together what dry mouth is, what causes extremely dry mouth while sleeping, treatments, and how one can prevent it from happening.
Table of Contents
What is a Dry Mouth?
Dry mouth is a serious medical condition also known as xerostomia. In this condition, the person’s salivary glands are affected and thus you are unable to produce the right amount of saliva to keep the mouth wet. You are able to produce saliva but not in the needed quantities to keep the oral environment intact.
Despite popular belief, dry mouth is a health condition that is accompanied by other health issues as well. You can have a dry mouth because of Sjögren disease or any other autoimmune disease. Thus it is important to consult with a medical healthcare professional so that the root cause of the issue can be highlighted.
What Causes Extremely Dry Mouth While Sleeping?
If a person suffers from blocked or clogged nasal passageways, they might start breathing through their mouth. This is the most common cause of dry mouth while sleeping. Some other notable causes of dry mouth at night are given below:
- Diabetes
- Tobacco uses
- Caffeine addiction
- Stroke
- Any damage to the neck, or head due to injury or radiation treatment
- Thrush
- Damage to the brain or neck
- Simple aging
Dry Mouth because of Medications
Some medications can also lead to dry mouth. The most common ones are as follows:
- Decongestants
- Beta-blockers
- Pain medications
- Anti-hypertensives
- Muscle relaxants
- Antidepressants
- Blood pressure medications
Why is My Mouth so Dry When I Wake Up?
Well, the reasons for dry mouth at night can be various and diverse. The main one is that your salivary glands normally produce less amount of saliva at night rather than during the day. Another reason is that your nostrils can be clogged and thus you are left with no choice but to breathe through your mouth.
What happens during the night is that you are unaware of all the happenings. But during the day you are aware of when you feel parched or your salivary glands are acting up. The easy remedy at that time is to drink water.
How to Prevent Dry Mouth While Sleeping?
Well, there are several home remedies that you can try to prevent dry mouth at night. Make sure to pay attention so that you can get benefited from it.
Oral Hygiene
Oral hygiene is something that we are often ignorant about. But it is one of the most important things to consider for good well-being. Make sure to brush twice a day this way you are able to keep your teeth healthy in the longer run.
Before going to sleep, remember to floss. This way all the food residue that is stuck inside the spaces of your gums will get removed. Because the bacteria can otherwise thrive on these food residues and can lead to cavities as well as bad breath. Wondering what to eat during such instances, we have compiled some of the best food choices to fight bad breath.
Try to be gentle with the thread, especially if you have sensitive or bleeding gums. Brush your teeth before going to bed and make it a habit.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
Water is the main component of saliva. Thus it is only common sense to drink a lot of water if you are suffering from a dry mouth at night. Wondering how much water you should drink?
According to doctors, you should drink at least 2.5 liters of water every day. This intake of water helps to get rid of all the bad bacteria from the mouth which might lead to other health complications such as cavities.
Do not just drink water when you are thirsty. Drink water throughout the day and make it a part of your everyday regime. Keep on drinking water throughout the day so that your kidneys are able to flush out all the toxins away from the body.
In addition to all this, you can also prevent a dry mouth at night by keeping track of how much water you are drinking. Water agrees with our oral environment and helps to keep the pH levels optimized and your breath fresh.
Keep a Check on Your Salt Intake
Too much consumption of salty foods can cause sodium buildup in the body. High levels of sodium mean that the kidneys have to work hard to neutralize it. This means water will be pulled from the body cells which causes dehydration. Dehydration is also one of the leading causes of dry mouth at night.
Side Note: Get your sodium levels tested, if dry mouth is a persistent problem.
Thus limit your salt intake. Try to consume those foods which are high in fiber so that the salt build-up in the body can be avoided.
Avoid Coffee
Coffee and foods that are rich in caffeine can be diuretics. Diuretic foods mean that the level of water in the urine output is high. The consumption of such foods makes the overall levels of water in the body low and thus can be the cause of severe dehydration.
Dehydrating of body organs can lead to a dry mouth at night. Thus stay away from any sort of caffeine intake in the evening. Work on your coffee addiction with the help of some tea alternatives It also helps you to sleep peacefully at night without any sort of distraction. Talk about a win-win.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is not only bad for your lungs but is also dangerous for your oral health and liver – the largest organ of the body. The toxins that are present in tobacco smoke interfere with the oral ecosystem and disrupt it. It also makes it more acidic just as the bad bacteria like it.
Thus start with decreasing your nicotine content gradually and then quit it entirely so that your teeth are not damaged irreversibly. Smoking also makes your mouth dry as it causes dehydration. So drink healthy drinks and quit it!
Chew Sugar-free Gum
Chewing gum is also an excellent way to stimulate the production of saliva inside your mouth. It also helps with bad breath. But try not to chew the flavored ones. This is because bacteria are always in search of sugar so that they can feast on it. This later leads to cavities.
How to Prevent Dry Mouth While Sleeping – The Final Takeaway
A dry mouth at night is a curable condition. You do not have to fear it. Try to make the best out of the above-given information so that you can prevent dry mouth at night. For further information, you can reach out to the best dentists via healthwire.pk
