Got dry mouth?

Dry mouth is not only a side-effect of old age. As a matter of fact, many people can experience dry mouth at any stage of their life either as a symptom of certain medications or as a response to specific medical conditions.

Dentist in Harley StreetAt Harley Street Dental Clinic, once we determine what causes your dry mouth, we will try to help you. Understanding the reasons behind your dry mouth is really important for our dentist in Harley Street, since if left untreated, it can lead to many problems.

What are the causes of dry mouth?

Dry mouth can be caused by many reasons and we can divide these reasons into lifestyle choices, biological responses of the body and various medical conditions. Dehydration, intensive exercise, smoking and overconsumption of alcohol are among the lifestyle choices that can cause dry mouth. On the other hand, dry mouth may be caused by ageing or hormonal changes, while in some cases it is the result of various health issues – from asthma and diabetes to HIV and Alzheimer’s. If you suffer from any of these conditions and you have dry mouth, you should let your dentist in Harley Street know as soon as possible.

Effects of dry mouth

Having a dry mouth can influence your daily life and the severity of the symptoms is different for different people. As a rule, prolonged xerostomia (that’s the scientific term of dry mouth) can lead to common dental problems such as gum disease and tooth decay, because saliva is responsible for washing away the plaque and bacteria from our teeth and gums. More serious symptoms include tooth loss, burning mouth syndrome and difficulty swallowing, but you’d have to remain untreated for a very long time, for these symptoms to flare up.

Relieving your dry mouth

To get rid of your dry mouth, your dentist in Harley Street can help you in a number of ways. Firstly, they will examine the mouth in order to determine the exact cause of your xerostomia and then they will recommend either implementing lifestyle changes (i.e. drinking plenty of water, having regular meals, avoiding tobacco and alcohol), or will prescribe artificial saliva or other medication that could help restore moisture in your mouth.