Overview
A dry mouth is rarely a sign of anything serious. There are things you can do to help ease it yourself. See a GP if these do not work or you also have other symptoms.
Causes of a dry mouth
The main causes of a dry mouth are:
- dehydration - for example, from not drinking enough, sweating a lot or being ill
- medicines - check the leaflet that comes with your medicine to see if dry mouth is a side effect
- breathing through your mouth at night - this can happen if you have a blocked nose or you sleep with your mouth open
- anxiety
- cancer treatment (radiotherapy or chemotherapy)
- oral thrush (mouth thrush)
Sometimes a dry mouth that does not go away may be caused by a condition like diabetes or Sjögren's syndrome.
How to help ease a dry mouth yourself
-
drink plenty of cold water - take regular sips during the day and keep some water by your bed at night
-
suck on ice cubes or ice lollies
-
sip on cold unsweetened drinks
-
chew sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free sweets
-
use lip balm if your lips are also dry
-
brush your teeth twice a day and use alcohol-free mouthwash - you're more likely to get tooth decay if you have a dry mouth
-
do not drink lots of alcohol, caffeine (such as tea and coffee) or fizzy drinks
-
do not eat foods that are acidic (like lemons), spicy, salty or sugary
-
do not smoke
-
do not sleep with dentures in
-
do not use acidic artificial saliva products if you have your own teeth
-
do not stop taking a prescribed medicine without getting medical advice first - even if you think it might be causing your symptoms
A pharmacist can help if you have a dry mouth
If you have a dry mouth, ask a pharmacist about treatments you can buy to help keep your mouth moist.
You can get:
- gels
- sprays
- tablets or lozenges
Not all products are suitable for everyone. Ask a pharmacist for advice about the best one for you.
If your dry mouth might be caused by a blocked nose, a pharmacist may suggest decongestants to unblock it.
Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:
You have a dry mouth and:
- it makes it difficult when talking or eating
- your mouth is still dry after trying home or pharmacy treatments for a few weeks
- you're struggling to eat regularly
- you're having problems with your sense of taste that are not going away
- your mouth is painful, red, swollen or bleeding
- you have sore white patches in your mouth
- you think a prescribed medicine might be causing your dry mouth
- you have other symptoms, like needing to pee a lot or dry eyes
The GP can check what the cause might be and recommend treatment for it.
A pharmacist may be able to suggest things to provide relief from your symptoms while you're waiting to talk to a GP.
Page last reviewed: 29 November 2023
Next review due: 29 November 2026
Information sourced from the NHS. If you have concerns about your medication or symptoms, pop in or call Hedon Pharmacy - we're here to help.
Read on nhs.uk