What is the Best Dry Mouth Treatment?

There are several treatments for dry mouth, though they may begin and end with cause. Since every patients is different, it’s impossible to say if one dry mouth treatment is better or best. Most people will probably need to do several things to alleviate the condition, in addition to having some extra dental care so that dry mouth doesn’t result in gum disease or quick tooth decay.

Many times dry mouth is induced by medications, though it may also result from certain medical conditions. Yet when medicines are clearly causing the condition, sometimes the best dry mouth treatment is to discontinue the medication. This is not always possible, since some of the medications that cause dryer mouth are really needed and treat conditions like depression, seizures, bipolar, schizophrenia, high blood pressure or urinary incontinence. However, these conditions may be treated by numerous medications, and a person may have less of this symptom by switching to a different drug. If interested in this, patients should discuss the matter with their doctors and determine the risks versus benefits of making a switch.

When medications can’t be discontinued or changed, or dry mouth comes from different causes, some dry mouth treatments exist that may help. People should plan on drinking plenty of water or artificially sweetened beverages to keep the mouth appropriately moist. Some people also find they will generate more saliva if they suck on artificially sweetened candies. There are also many over the counter washes and sprays that may prove an effective dry mouth treatment.

Anyone who needs dry mouth treatment also needs to be under the regular care of a dentist. The dentist can best instruct in how often to brush the teeth, and will want to make sure the person has regular teeth cleanings, perhaps more often than every six months. The potential development of tooth decay and gum problems is too real a possibility for most people with this condition, and it might be said the best dry mouth treatments are those given by a dentist.

The dentist is not likely to be able to resolve the actual condition, and sometimes all the suggestions above from lubricating the mouth are not enough. This is when patients should consider discussing the matter with their doctors too. There are a few medications that can be prescribed which may help to produce more saliva. These are pilocarpine, also called Salagen® and cevimeline or Exovac®. People should discuss with doctors whether either of these medications is appropriate dry mouth treatment, given their unique medical histories.