Dry mouth at night is a problem that affects many people. This occurs when the salivary glands are unable to produce enough fluid to keep the mouth moist. Saliva helps fight bacteria and acids, which are known to contribute to the development of gum disease, tooth decay, and bad breath.
In medicine, insufficient salivation and dry mouth are called xerostomia .
Thus, a lack of saliva in the mouth can be very uncomfortable and can also disrupt normal sleep and negatively affect your oral health. The article discusses the causes of dry mouth at night, such as diabetes, stress, frequent urination, pregnancy, as well as information on home remedies that can be used to control the problem and other treatment options.
Causes
It is normal for a person to sometimes experience dry mouth. This happens mainly when he is nervous, or when the body is dehydrated. But the persistent problem of dryness should not be taken lightly as it could be a sign of some health condition.
The problem occurs when the salivary glands are unable to produce enough saliva due to dehydration, which is a common occurrence when a person does not consume the required amount of fluid.
Dry mouth can also be caused by the following factors:
- Sjögren's syndrome is a condition during which the salivary glands are attacked and damaged by the immune system
- Medications – Various types of medications can cause dry mouth at night. These include diuretics, antihistamines and antidepressants. You should study the instructions to determine whether this problem is a side effect of taking the medicine.
- Nasal congestion - breathing through the mouth during sleep can cause the mucous membrane to dry out
- Radiation therapy - such exposure to the neck and head can cause inflammation of the salivary glands.
- Diabetes is a disease that is known to cause blood sugar levels to rise to extreme levels. In this case, an important additional symptom is severe thirst.
It is necessary to inform your physician or dentist about the observed symptoms. They will help you understand why you are experiencing dry mouth.
Why does my mouth feel dry in the morning?
Why does my mouth feel dry in the morning after sleep? The appearance of dryness in the morning can be observed in almost every person, for example, when he sleeps in a room where the temperature is too high or the air is very dry.
Xerostomia worsens if a person sleeps with his mouth open or snores.
Also, dry mouth in the morning can be observed:
- In the presence of chronic rhinitis , when the nasal passages swell and swell, making breathing difficult, which is why a person has to constantly breathe through the mouth, which contributes to drying out the mucous membranes. In this condition, saliva becomes very thick, its viscosity increases, as a result of which it can no longer fully moisturize the mucous membranes. A similar condition can also occur due to enlarged adenoids, as well as in the presence of a deviated nasal septum, which also creates difficulties for normal breathing through the nose, forcing a person to breathe through the mouth.
- With excessive and frequent consumption of large amounts of salty, smoked or pickled foods, as well as sweets . Even if a person drinks enough water when consuming such foods, he may experience severe dry mouth in the morning, since the salt contained in such foods draws moisture from the body's mucous membranes and muscles overnight.
- Smokers and alcoholics suffer from dry mouth in the morning..
- Those who consume too much coffee or black tea, especially before bed, also experience this symptom in the morning.
- Radiation therapy often causes intoxication of the salivary glands, disrupting the normal processes of their work, which also provokes the appearance of xerostomia.
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- Xerostomia in the morning is considered one of the earliest symptoms of diabetes..
- Expectant mothers carrying babies also suffer from such an unpleasant manifestation, since during this period the body needs a large amount of fluid.
- Dry mouth in the morning very often appears with exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, as well as with a decrease in blood pressure.
Diabetes
Saliva is an important component in the mouth as it helps balance acidity levels. It also washes away acid from around your gums and teeth. People suffering from diabetes are known to experience dry mouth at night.
The following symptoms may also be observed:
- Oral candidiasis (thrush)
- Inflammation of the gums, known as gingivitis
- Irritation in the corners of the mouth.
Symptoms of thrush include cracking at the corners of the lips, redness of the tongue, and white patches in the mouth. A diabetic can reduce the impact of this condition by:
- Frequent use of lip balm to protect against irritation
- Controlling your blood sugar levels within the recommended range
- Using an alcohol-free mouthwash or gel
- Cleaning dentures or braces after meals
- Trying to maintain a sufficient level of water in the body throughout the day. You may need to carry water with you at all times.
Salivary glands: a question for the dentist
A separate topic for the occurrence of xerostomia is dental diseases (oral cavity pathologies).
Dry mouth can be caused not only by pathology of the salivary glands and their ducts, but also by one or another condition of the oral mucosa in general.
But still, the most common causes of dryness in the oral cavity are both inflammatory-degenerative and infectious, autoimmune and oncological diseases of the salivary glands, leading to atrophy of the glandular tissue and a decrease in the production of saliva.
The first group of causes leading to degeneration of the salivary glands includes acute and chronic sialadenitis, and the second group includes infectious parotitis (mumps).
Dry mouth is also one of the manifestations of Sjögren's syndrome, which has an autoimmune basis; oncological damage to the salivary glands can be either independent or metastatic in nature.
An insufficient amount of saliva in the oral cavity can result from the formation of adhesions and strictures of the ducts of the salivary glands that arise
Oncology of the salivary glands
for their diseases and injuries. A similar condition can also be caused by a small moving stone-calculus that does not tightly close the lumen of the duct.
Any condition, disease or injury that leads to partial or complete atrophy of the oral mucosa, be it tobacco smoking or radiation exposure during an oncological process, can also bring a patient with complaints of dry mouth to the dentist’s office.
Pregnancy
The problem is very common in the first trimester of pregnancy. It tends to get worse at night and may be accompanied by additional symptoms such as:
- Metallic taste
- Stuffy, dry nose
- Stomach upset
- Chapped lips
- Hot flashes
- Headache.
These signs and symptoms may be due to various metabolic and hormonal changes that occur in the body during pregnancy.
Pregnancy-Related Causes of Dry Mouth
- Use of certain medications
- Increased blood volume. This forces the kidneys to process more fluid. The end result is dry mouth and frequent urination
- Gestational diabetes
- Increased metabolic rate. This causes intense sweating, which leads to increased loss of fluid from the body.
- Dehydration due to lack of fluid.
Alarming symptoms
Correct interpretation and detailed analysis when diagnosing the symptom of dry mouth will allow you to determine an accurate diagnosis.
Dryness of the oral cavity can be temporary during an exacerbation of chronic diseases, or after taking medications. If drying out of the mucous membrane occurs due to a serious illness, then there is itching in the mouth, a burning sensation on the tongue, cracks form, and noticeable dryness in the throat. In this situation, you should immediately consult a doctor, because in the future, partial or complete atrophy of the mucosa may develop.
Dry mouth can be the cause of a serious illness; consult a doctor in a timely manner.
Why your mouth is dry and the causes of the pathology, first of all, a therapist will help determine. He will subsequently refer you to specialized specialists such as a dentist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist and others. But first, the state of dryness is determined at an appointment with a therapist with accompanying symptoms such as dry throat and nasopharynx, burning in the mouth, frequent urination, and more.
The process occurs due to the development of such malfunctions and disorders in the body as:
- high blood pressure;
- trophic changes in the mucosa;
- water exchange;
- mechanical drying due to constantly open mouth and air entry;
- the effect of toxic agents, other indicators that the doctor identifies when examining the patient.
Possible diseases with dry mouth often include:
- prolonged exposure to high temperature;
- taking various medications for a long time, or those that are not suitable for the body (you should consult a doctor);
- dehydrated body due to intoxication;
- dental problems;
- infectious, viral, acute purulent diseases;
- diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular systems, brain with disruption of the normal secretion of saliva;
- diseases of the digestive system (ulcers, gastritis and others);
- excessive smoking;
- pathologies in the abdominal area such as appendicitis, ulcers and others.
Common causes of dry mouth include diabetes mellitus, which appears in people in young and middle age without other prerequisites for its occurrence. In the case where the disease is absent, it is necessary to diagnose the manifestation of other diseases.
Menopause
Menopause causes significant hormonal changes in women. A decrease in estrogen levels leads to a decrease in the amount of moisture in the mucous membranes. This is the reason why a woman is likely to experience dry eyes and mouth.
Salivary cortisol also increases during menopause. The estrogen hormone regulates cortisol during the day before the menopause phase begins. Decreased estrogen levels mean a weakening of the limiting factor.
Therefore, there will be a burning sensation and dry mouth. You can reduce some menopausal symptoms by taking hormone replacement therapy. However, administration of progesterone may worsen symptoms.
Dry mouth while sleeping
Xerostomia can be caused by many factors. But lack of sufficient moisture during sleep is mainly caused by snoring or sleeping with your mouth open. Other factors that may play a role in the problem include:
- Side effects of taking medications
- Stress.
According to the American Dental Association, more than four hundred prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause dry mouth. Frequent occurrence of this problem should be addressed by a professional, regardless of its cause. The mouth requires sufficient supplies of saliva, even during sleep.
Do you need medical attention?
With episodic xerostomia, the causes of which are clear and understandable, the sufferer is unlikely to seek help from a doctor.
But there is an exception when this is simply necessary to do even in cases that do not bring any particular inconvenience - pregnancy, because dehydration can threaten the health of not only the expectant mother, but also the fetus.
Which specialist should a patient with persistent night or morning dry mouth contact?
This should be a physician or dentist - a doctor who will offer the necessary research to find out the cause of the condition being experienced, and also take decisive measures to eliminate it.
These measures include:
- correction of treatment already being carried out (replacing some drugs with others, if necessary, changing doses and frequency of taking medications);
- deciding on the need for prosthetics and performing operations to correct the process of food processing in the oral cavity;
- consultations with the patient by doctors of the required profile;
- making recommendations on diet and regimen;
- prescription of psychotherapy, exercise therapy, massage for excess body weight.
Dryness at night and frequent urination
Dry mouth and frequent urination are considered the most common symptoms of diabetes. Blood sugar levels may begin to drop when a person starts taking diabetes medications, insulin, or when their diet changes. This happens because some of the glucose will find its way into the body's cells.
This means that it will not be in the blood, which will lead to the disappearance of these symptoms. Failure to comply with this condition will mean that they will begin to appear again.
Associated symptoms and conditions
Xerostomia is extremely rare as a separate, independent symptom, only as an accidentally developed condition (drinking alcohol, overheating and other “one-time” violations of the boundaries of a healthy lifestyle).
In chronic diseases, dry mouth is most often combined with:
- with weakness;
- with nausea;
- with bitterness in the mouth;
- with dizziness;
- with frequent urination,
- as well as with the “white tongue” symptom.
Therefore, dry mouth can also serve as both a diagnostic and differential diagnostic criterion for a number of diseases, conditions and symptoms:
- Xerostomia in combination with bitterness in the mouth (if bile gets into it) is often a “passport” of problems with the liver, pancreas or bile ducts.
- With accompanying dizziness , it can be a symptom of arterial hypotension of various origins or indicate a serious disruption of the blood supply to the brain (due to disease, intoxication, dehydration).
- With a “ white tongue ,” xerostomia is one of the indicators of trouble with the stomach (a sign of gastritis, gastric ulcers), esophagus (reflux esophagitis), small intestines (enteritis, enterocolitis) and large intestines (colitis), and when combined with severe and increasing pain in the abdomen may be a sign of the need for urgent surgery.
- The combination of dryness with nausea is less specific than bitterness in the mouth; it can be either one of the signs of intoxication or intestinal infection, which can be supported by accompanying diarrhea and vomiting, or a symptom of elementary overeating.
- Dry mouth plus constant thirst and frequent urination is an almost 100% established diagnosis of diabetes.
But such a nonspecific symptom as causeless weakness with xerostomia requires a very detailed study, as it can become one of the first symptoms of an oncological process or a blood disease.
Panic attacks at night
Nighttime panic attacks create a lot of anxiety. Among other things, this may be accompanied by a feeling of dry mouth, causing discomfort. The mouth feels sticky when the salivary glands cannot produce enough saliva.
You may also feel like your mouth is not clean. Chewing and swallowing may become worse over time. It is important to see your dentist if you regularly suffer from dry mouth and nighttime anxiety as this can be very harmful.
The problem may in some sense be caused by feelings of anxiety. Symptoms of this condition are likely to flare up each time you have a panic attack and then go away. Stress and anxiety can reduce the amount of saliva in your mouth.
Very dry mouth at night
The reason may be:
- Age: Dry nights are not a natural part of aging, but a person is likely to take more medications as they get older. Many of these drugs may have side effects.
- Playing or exercising in the heat: The salivary glands become dry as body fluids will be concentrated in other areas. If you continue this activity, you will experience severe dry mouth and thirst.
- Cancer treatment: Radiation therapy causes inflammation of the salivary glands. Chemotherapy can also change the nature of saliva, as well as the amount that the body produces.
- Dehydration: due to the inability to consume enough fluids.
- Surgery or injury: Injury to the neck or head can lead to this problem.
- Tobacco use: Smoking or chewing tobacco increases the chances of developing dry mouth.
Why does it dry in the morning and at night?
The appearance of dry mouth at night and in the early morning is easily explained: at this time, the salivary glands are almost not busy producing saliva, and the tone of the facial and chewing muscles is noticeably weakened.
This often leads to the opening of the mouth and drying of its mucous membranes by air movement - breathing, as well as heat in the bedroom. The consequence of this is dry mouth mainly in the morning (often going away on its own); alcohol consumed the day before leads to the same results.
Dry mouth at night, in addition to open-mouth breathing and overeating at night, can also be caused by diseases of the nervous system, as a result of which the normal nervous regulation of the activity of the salivary glands is disrupted.
Xerostomia, which repeats from night to night and does not go away on its own, should be the reason for a serious study of the body and a search for the disease that became its cause.
Treatment
It is necessary to determine what is causing this problem before trying to get rid of it. The cause must be identified for proper treatment. To reduce dry mouth, you need:
- Use a humidifier at night
- Chewing gum to stimulate saliva flow (sugar-free)
- Use your nose to breathe, not your mouth
- Limit the amount of caffeine consumed per day
- Change to other decongestants or antihistamines (in consultation with your doctor)
- Do not use mouthwash that may contain alcohol as this is one of the causes of dryness.
- Try a mouthwash designed for this problem
- Stop using tobacco products
- Drink water often.
Home Remedies
Increase fluid intake
Dehydration is the main cause of this condition. Increasing your fluid intake ensures that the body remains hydrated at all times. Proper hydration ensures that the body is able to produce enough saliva to relieve all symptoms associated with dryness at night.
- Eat liquid foods, such as soups and stews
- Drink the required amount of water daily
- Drink herbal teas, such as chamomile and green tea
- Include vegetable and fruit juices and cocktails in your diet
- Take 1-2 glasses of coconut water daily.
Red pepper
Recommended as it helps in stimulating saliva production. It also strengthens the taste buds, which improves the sensation of different tastes.
- Apply a small amount of ground pepper to your finger and then rub it on your tongue (this may cause a burning sensation for some time)
- You can sprinkle red pepper on salads and soups.
NOTE. The spicier it is, the better. Therefore, cayenne varieties will work most effectively, but they are more difficult to find on sale here.
