If you are here, you have probably just woken up with an unpleasant sensation in your mouth. Is your tongue stinging? Is your throat on fire? You have probably realised that drinking water did not help you feel better. Most of the time the pasty mouth sensation that appears during the night is not quickly gone.It is recommended that you consult a doctor for a precise diagnosis of your condition. He will also tell you which treatments are the most suitable. Only he can know the causes. However, you can also try using a toothbrush, but above all opt for home-made solutions and see if they work.
Here is a guide to help you understand the phenomenon of "dry mouth" and what solutions you can use to remedy this problem that can ruin your life.
What is a dry mouth?
Having a pasty mouth is not a harmless phenomenon to be taken lightly. In fact, it is caused by dry mouth, otherwise known as "xerostomia". It is directly linked to a decrease in the quantity of saliva produced (hyposialia) and the more viscous aspect of the saliva. It is very often linked to dry eyes, dry skin or dry digestive mucosa.
Several symptoms should obviously alert you:
- A rather dry mouth and throat
- More frequent thirst than usual
- Bad breath
- Irritation or burning of the tongue
- Difficulty swallowing, eating or even speaking
- Violent sore throat
- A progressive loss of taste
- Gum disease or tooth decay
You can try brushing your teeth with an electric toothbrush to see if the symptoms improve. In fact, the Y-Brush removes 15% more dental plaque than a traditional toothbrush, which helps to reduce the feeling of a mushy mouth.
When should you see a doctor to treat your mouth?
The only way to diagnose whether it is a dry mouth or other dental problem is to carry out a mouth examination. It is quickly detected by a patient's complaints or if the person is elderly and has an eating disorder. The treatment will be more important if the impact of the dry mouth is significant. This is the case if it is due to a medicinal cause or an insufficient amount of water in the patient's body. In the case of salivary pathology, tests can be carried out to check the proper functioning of the salivary glands. This can be done, for example, by an imaging test (X-ray, ultrasound or sialo-endoscopy) or, more rarely, by biopsy of a gland.)
If it is a disease, it will also be detected. Moreover, only he will be able to find the most suitable medicine. Indeed, various parapharmaceutical products can be used to relieve dry mouth.
Here is a list of the various medications that may be prescribed:
- Pilocarpine : stimulates saliva production
- Anetholtrithione : is also a biliary function stimulant and a saliva and tear substitute.
- Hydration tablets : provide more effective hydration than water
Your doctor will be able to advise you so that you can quickly be healthy again.
What are the different causes of dry mouth?
It is important to know that there are diseases that can cause or amplify dry mouth. Whether or not you are aware of the condition you have. Here is an overview of the different causes of pasty mouth.
Gougerot-Sjögren's syndrome
This syndrome is directly related to the state of your immune system. It is characterised by the immune system attacking and destroying the salivary tear glands that produce secretions in the body. In contrast, body organs such as the lungs, nerves and kidneys are much less affected. The cause of these symptoms is a relatively reduced production of secretions from certain glands in the body. Making a rapid diagnosis is complicated because the signs appear slowly.
Chronic kidney disease
This is directly related to diabetes and high blood pressure. It is characterised by the kidneys gradually ceasing to function and metabolic products and water accumulating in the body. This makes it more difficult for the kidneys to filter blood and takes longer to excrete hormones. It is characterised by a number of noticeable symptoms such as swelling of the feet, ankles and legs or drowsiness and psychomotor retardation.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is directly related to the regulation of blood sugar levels. People with this condition secrete insulin, which does not regulate blood sugar levels as easily. In addition, the blood sugar level remains high after each meal. The pancreas secretes large amounts of insulin during the day. Complications of this type of diabetes are usually tenderness in the feet and impaired vision. If it reaches a severe stage, it can sometimes lead to a stroke or heart attack.
Mouth cancers
Mostly affects people over 40 years of age. They are very often linked to the hyperconsumption of tobacco and alcohol. To give a figure, they are responsible for 90% of cancers of the mouth. These oral cancers or tumours are found on the tongue, inside the cheeks, on the palate, on the lips or on the gums.
In the case of a baby, however, it is usually dehydration that makes the mouth dry.
How to get rid of a dry mouth?
There are a number of little tips you can follow to make that mushy mouth feeling go away as quickly as possible.
1-Drink plenty of water or fruit juice
One of the main causes of mushy mouth is dehydration. It is therefore essential to hydrate yourself by drinking 1.5 litres of the drink of your choice per day.
2-Limit acidic, spicy and very salty foods
These are foods that cause a burning sensation in the oral cavity. They have the effect of making the mucous membranes of the mouth painful.
3-Do not take medicines that dry out the mouth
Some medicines cause dry mouth. This is the case, for example, with antidepressants, anxiolytics, antihypertensives and antiarrhythmics, sleeping pills and anti-nausea drugs. Radiotherapy can cause this phenomenon permanently.
4-Use natural remedies
-Mouthwash with bicarbonated water
-Take grape seed oil
-Sucking mints and chewing gum
-Use ginger slices
-Drinking squeezed lemon juice
-Nibbling fennel seeds
-Drinking cups of Aloe Vera juice
-Putting cayenne pepper in your dishes
You can also use toothbrush tablets to have more clean teeths.
5)Improve your oral hygiene
Dry mouth is very often linked to poor oral hygiene. The solution to this problem is to improve your oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth with a proper toothbrush is therefore very important. You can brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush. You can also try brushing your teeth with an electric toothbrush.It is important to remember to wash your hands before and after brushing and to change your toothbrush regularly.
The toothbrush you can use for healthy teeth is the Y-Brush toothbrush. It is made of Nylon. This is a much better material than the silicone used in most toothbrushes. Silicone offers more of a massaging feel to the teeth while Nylon offers good all-round brushing performance.
6)Managing stress and anxiety
It is common to have a dry mouth sensation when you are subject to stress and anxiety and suffer from depression. This sensation does not usually last long, but it can be disabling in everyday life. It is therefore advisable to do relaxation or deep breathing exercises in order to feel better in your body.
We hope that this guide will help you to regain good oral hygiene and therefore stop having a mushy mouth.