Dry Mouth Therapy

Waking up at night for water to rehydrate your dry mouth? Discomfort and inability to swallow foods because of painful sores or a very dry mouth?  These symptoms of xerostomia or “dry mouth” are results of decreased salivary flow. Several influences contribute to developing xerostomia or dry mouth which is brought on by a reduction in levels of produced saliva. Sometimes underlying diseases and medical conditions cause dry mouth.

Conditions like HIV/AIDS, diabetes, radiation therapy for head and neck cancers, sinusitis, eating disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid dysfunctions, Sjögren’s syndrome, and disease or removal of the salivary glands play a heavy role in dry mouth symptoms patients experience.

Environmental factors such as stress, dehydration, pregnancy, menopause, weather changes, habits such as smoking or irregular sleeping patterns can also contribute or make symptoms of dry mouth worse.

Amongst other factors, it is known that one of the most common causes derives from prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. The American Dental Association estimates more than 400 medications that have dry mouth side effects. These include but are not limited to: anticonvulsants, diuretics, pain killers, bronchodilators, blood pressure medications, anti-depressants, anxiety, antihistamines and decongestants.

Having dry lips, tongue and gum tissues puts patients at risk for tooth decay as well as periodontal disease (gum disease). Saliva plays a big role in dental health and assists your body’s ability to ingest and digest food. Symptoms described by patients of burning and pain accompanied by oral lesions and sores can be described as oral mucositis.  

Swallowing and chewing pain of oral soft tissues and the pain of bad breath with constant cotton mouth are issues that can be addressed by the team at Progressive Dental Houston. We help patients relieve dry mouth symptoms with a noninvasive and predictable approach.  

We utilize a multiple laser approach to establish oral comfort and to stimulate the body’s own natural ability to produce saliva. We also carry non-alcohol based rinses both over-the-counter and prescribed as adjunctive measures, debride the tongue, and disrupt biofilms with the various lasers.  

Additionally, we can help control the pain of oral ulcerations by stimulating saliva production, providing patients with incredibly positive outcomes.

If you’d like to learn about other options we have, feel free to visit our Preventative, Restorative, and Cosmetic Dentistry hub pages or contact us directly!