The bothersome combination of dry mouth and bad breath, also known as xerostomia, can be chalked up as yet another common problem caused by prescription drug use.
Xerostomia is not to be confused with halitosis, or bad breath, which is typically caused by systemic diseases, gastrointestinal and/or upper respiratory tract disorders, and microbial metabolism from your tongue, saliva or dental plaque.
Common Causes of Dry Mouth and Bad Breath (Xerostomia)
First of all, it's important to realize that xerostomia is NOT a disease in and of itself. Rather it is a common side effect of prescription- and OTC drugs.
It can also be a symptom caused by certain physical disorders and diseases that target your salivary glands and/or tear ducts, some of which are mentioned below.
Specific types of medications that are known to affect your salivary glands include drugs for:
Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation also tend to cause dry mouth.
Other Non-Drug Causes
• Nerve damage in your head or neck that affect your salivary glands
• Sjogren's syndrome (an autoimmune disease, causes xerostomia and dry eyes)
• Endocrine disorders
• Alzheimer's disease
• Stroke
• Anxiety disorders and depression
Interestingly, xerostomia can also be a sign of nutritional deficiencies (some drugs are also known to cause a variety of nutritional deficiencies).
Naturally, if you already suffer with dry mouth and/or bad breath, you can certainly make it worse for yourself by smoking, drinking alcohol, using alcohol-containing mouthwashes, and drinking caffeine. All of these behaviors will exacerbate your problem, so avoid them as much as possible.
Snoring, and constantly breathing through your mouth instead of your nose can also cause your mouth to dry out further.
If you're a "mouth-breather," pay conscious attention to how you breathe, and train yourself to breathe through your nose.
Quitting snoring, however, can be trickier, since it's happening while you're asleep. For a list of strategies to combat snoring, please see this previous article.
Why You Should Be Concerned About Dry Mouth
Dry mouth may seem like a trivial concern to many, especially if you've never experienced it. But aside from just being bothersome, the most hazardous consequence of dry mouth is the increase of tooth decay, which can impact your overall health if it goes too far. (Naturally, it will also affect your pocketbook, as the cost of dental services keep rising.)
Saliva serves several functions, one of which is to protect and help repair your teeth from the constant assaults mounted by bacteria and your diet. Without sufficient amounts of saliva, your teeth are in large part left unprotected.
To illustrate just how hazardous some drugs can be for your dental health, a previousstudy, using rats, showed that clonidine (Catapres) -- a high blood pressure medication that has also become popular in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children -- resulted in 84 percent more cavities.
Xerostomia can also lead to thrush (oral candidiasis), a yeast infection of the mouth or throat, and can also have a negative impact on quality of life by affecting your:
• Dietary habits
• Nutritional status
• Speech
• Taste
• Tolerance to dental prosthesis
What Can You Do?
First of all, if you suspect a drug may be the main culprit, see your doctor about adjusting your medication.
You'll also want to pay particular attention to your dental health, both at home, on a daily basis, and by seeing your dentist for regular cleanings.
I would not advise using fluoride to reduce your risk of cavities, however. Fluoride is not an effective anti-cavity strategy, and comes with a number of serious health risks.
Brushing your teeth with a 50/50 mixture of unprocessed natural salt, such as Himalayan salt and baking soda tends to have a very healing effect on gums, and makes your teeth feel wonderfully clean.
Using a waterpik device is also helpful to keep your gums healthy.
There are also palliative treatments you can use for dry mouth, but keep in mind they will not treat the underlying cause of your problem. These include:
• Blending your food or preparing moist dishes that are easier to swallow
• Sipping water as needed
• Using a salivary substitute (typically a preparation of water and glycerin)
A Note on Proper Tooth Brushing Technique
Maintaining good oral health is very important if you suffer from dry mouth, but keep in mind that brushing your teeth too hard and for longer than is necessary may cause more harm than good, as too vigorous a cleaning can cause damage to enamel and gums.
According to previous research, the ideal brushing time is two minutes and the ideal pressure 150 grams, which is about the weight of an orange. They found that when people brushed for longer than two minutes using pressure greater than 150 grams, no additional plaque was removed, so there's simply no need to brush longer or harder than that.
If you are uncertain about the proper way to brush your teeth, or need advice on the correct size, shape and consistency of your toothbrush, talk to your dentist or dental hygienist.
Eating for Optimal Dental Health
Lastly, don't underestimate the power of your diet to ameliorate the symptoms of dry mouth by improving your overall nutritional status.
For optimally healthy teeth, I strongly recommend following these dietary guidelines:
• Find out your nutritional type, and eat accordingly. This will tell you which foods are ideal for your unique biochemistry.
• Eat at least one-third of your food raw.
• Avoid processed foods, sugar, refined flour and all artificial flavorings, colorings, and artificial sweeteners. Instead, seek out locally grown foods that are in-season.
• Enjoy fermented foods like natto, kefir and cultured veggies.
• Make sure youeat enough healthy fats, including those from animal sources like omega-3 fats, and reduce your intake of omega-6 from vegetable oils.
All of the brushing and flossing in the world will not give you the healthy teeth that the above steps will, so to counteract the damaging effects of dry mouth on your dental health, get started eating a healthier diet today.
Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder and director of Mercola.com. Become a fan of Dr. Mercola on Facebook, on Twitter and check out Dr. Mercola's report on sun exposure!
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This is a pretty good product which I have used for years. Not that I specifically have breath issues, but after say eating something with garlic (which I try to avoid), a tuna sandwich, coffee ... whatever. Take a couple of Mint Asure's 20 minutes later ... and they resolve a potential ... Issue. Yes, I have personally tested this with several different significant others and even insignificant others, even my cats!
Now, Mint Asure is only going to work with issues stemming a gastrointestinal standpoint (stomach) and is not like to help with breath issues resulting from a hosed up mouth and/or dential issues.
It also works good to eliminate 'morning breath' when just waking up. Pop 1 or 2 before bed is the idea.
Disclaimer: I have no connection or stock with the company that makes Mint Asure.
Flouride. Humm. Well, about a year ago out of the blue, I suddenly had 3 small cavities. Ask my dentist why? Out of the blue, she asked "does your toothpaste have flouride in it". Humm ... I don't think so. I had been using the Tom's Baking Soda version. She said dude you still need flouride to help prevent cavities. So, I switch to a Tom's version that included Flouried (and baking soda, et.al.). So far, no new cavities. Not sure what her agenda would be in telling me to use flouride toothpaste other than to prevent cavities. Just an FYI.
mx
The most important thing I learned is that xylitol kills the bacteria that causes cavities and gum disease. I didn't even know that a bacteria was responsible for cavities until reading Dr. Ellie's blog.
you people... have no idea... NONE what it is like... when you try to talk to someone... and you see the LOOK on their face... when i avhe NO CHOICE but to have to talk to them close up. you have no idea what so ever.
how dare you criticize me for a bitter attitude...
when you have no idea what i go through.
I have read over and over and TRIED over and over....
all of these well meaning, money making fad remeides.
in this form or that.
it is far easier to stay away... than see that look i get... and then avoided.
and even worse... ...................
find a toothbrush and toothpaste at your work station.
on the windshield of your car.
in your mail box (@ work)
or called to human resources to "talk" about it becuase
fanned.
wow you made my NIGHT !
Ethics101 -- I just wish i could talk to you face to face... along with that lovely, kind and understanding, shoot first and ask questions later purplejesus person....... very close too. and upwind just so you can get the picture.
enjoy!
But that was a scientific study - dont know how many of us are will to do that...
I am 48.
I live alone.
I have few friends.
i do nothing or go nowhere that i avhe to be close to anyone.
i never date.
I have very very bad breath.
nothing i have tried... anywhere from anysource (including tonsils removed at age32 I was told THAT was the root of the problem)
bottom line:
something works or it doesn't. and sometimes nothing at all works.
bitter. in my self imposed "all of oneness"
They "lose" your files and give you a C student who's specialty is root canals. He not only traumatizes you with pain, he also mutilates all your dental work
Then the school says you're mouth is too complex now, no longer of any value to the students and refuses to work on you? Now you have a maimed mouth and no recourse..
Help!
My little girl had a few fillings put in at a local university by two different students. I guess some weren't cemented properly, because they fell out. When I pointed them out, they said they didn't need to be fixed. Ughh!!!
I'd love to know the answer to your question too!
Great point is the introduction of fermented foods into the diet like Natto (baclilus subtilis), Kin Chi and good old fashioned Sauerkraut (raw, uncooked). Yum!
I'm hungry!
the sauerkraut idea is a old world VINEGAR idea for bad breath.... I took a tablespoon of CIDAR VINEGAR for several MONTHS every morning and before bed.... it did great for acid reflux
Go brush, and rinse, then we'll see about licking anything!
Maybe.