Version July 2025
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What is dry mouth? —
This is when there is not enough saliva (spit) in your mouth. Having enough saliva is important for chewing, swallowing, and digesting food. Saliva also helps keep your teeth clean and protects them from cavities.
Dry mouth is also called "sicca" and "xerostomia."
What causes dry mouth? —
There are many different causes. Sometimes, a person might have a dry mouth if they have been breathing through their mouth. Dry mouth is more common with older age.
Other causes of dry mouth include:
●Dehydration
●Infection in the mouth
●Certain health conditions, such as Sjögren's disease
●Certain medicines
●Cancer treatment, like radiation or chemotherapy
●Surgery for head and neck cancer
●A problem with the glands that make saliva
●Smoking
What are the symptoms of dry mouth? —
Symptoms can include:
●A dry or sticky feeling in the mouth
●Thick, stringy spit
●Bad breath
●Mouth pain
●Cracks in the lips or tongue
●Sore throat
●Trouble swallowing bulky foods (like bread) without water
●Trouble speaking normally
Dry mouth can lead to other problems, like cavities, gum disease, or fungal infection.
Will I need tests? —
It depends. Your doctor or nurse will do an exam and ask about your symptoms. If it's clear what is causing your dry mouth, you probably will not need tests.
If the doctor is not sure of the cause, they might do tests to check for health problems that can cause dry mouth.
How is dry mouth treated? —
Treatment depends on what is causing your dry mouth. For example:
●If one of your medicines is causing dry mouth, your doctor might switch you to a different medicine.
●If you have a health condition, your doctor will talk to you about how to manage it. If your body is not making enough saliva, you might get medicine to help with this.
●You can chew sugarless gum, or suck on sugar-free candy to help with dry mouth. You can also try "artificial saliva." This comes as a liquid, spray, or gel that makes your mouth less dry.
●Your doctor might prescribe medicine to help your mouth feel less dry.
What else can I do on my own? —
You can:
●Keep your mouth moist by sipping water. If you don't like drinking a lot of water, you can rinse your mouth and spit the water out.
●Sip water during meals. This can make it easier to chew and swallow food. It can also help to eat foods that are soft and moist.
●Use lip balm if your lips are dry.
●Use a cool mist humidifier in the room where you sleep.
●Quit smoking, if you smoke. Your doctor or nurse can help.
●Brush and floss your teeth after every meal, and see your dentist as often as your doctor or nurse tells you to. Dry mouth raises your risk of cavities and some other mouth problems.
