Dry Mouth: Causes, Symptoms & Remedies

Dry mouth (also known as xerostomia) is more than just a nuisance. It can affect your comfort, your dental health, and your quality of life. In this article, we’ll explain the main causes, key symptoms, and practical remedies you can start using right away.

What Is Dry Mouth?

Your mouth feels dry when your salivary glands don’t produce enough saliva. Saliva is vital — it helps with chewing, swallowing, speaking, and protecting your teeth by neutralising acids and washing away food debris.

Without enough saliva, oral tissues can become irritated, and your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and oral infections increases.

Common Causes of Dry Mouth

Dry mouth may happen occasionally, but persistent dryness usually points to an underlying cause. Here are common factors:

Medication Side Effects

Many prescription and over-the-counter drugs list dry mouth as a side effect. This includes medications for blood pressure, depression, allergies, urinary incontinence, and more.

Dehydration & Fluid Loss

Not drinking enough, excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhoea or illness can reduce overall body fluid and limit saliva production.

Breathing Through the Mouth & Nasal Blockage

If your nose is blocked, or you habitually breathe through your mouth—especially at night—your oral tissues may dry out.

Hormonal Changes & Other Factors

As we age, we often take more medications and body systems change, which increases dry mouth risk. Some women going through menopause report oral dryness.

Medical Treatments & Diseases

Radiotherapy , Immunotherapy and chemotherapy targeting head and neck areas can damage salivary glands.
Autoimmune conditions such as Sjögren’s syndrome attack salivary gland tissue.
Diseases like diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and others may also reduce saliva.
Nerve damage in the head or neck may impair signals to the salivary glands.

Symptoms & Signs to Watch For

Dry mouth may present in different ways. Here are common symptoms:

A dry, sticky, or parched feeling in the mouth

Saliva that seems thick, stringy, or frothy

Bad breath (halitosis)

Altered taste or reduced sense of taste

Cracked lips, dry tongue, fissures

Difficulty chewing, swallowing or speaking

Burning or soreness of oral tissues

Increased dental decay or gum problems over time If you notice persistent dryness, or dryness with pain or bleeding, you should contact your dentist or GP

Remedies & Self-Care Tips

While some causes must be addressed medically, you can adopt many everyday strategies to help ease symptoms:

Hydration & Drinking Routine

Sip plain water frequently throughout the day. Keep water by your bedside for night use.
Aim for 1½ to 2 litres (or more, unless your physician says otherwise).

Stimulate Saliva Flow

Chew sugar-free gum or suck sugar-free lozenges (with xylitol if available).
Suck on ice chips or ice lollies (don’t chew ice).

Use Moisturising Products

Over-the-counter gels, sprays, or oral moisturisers / artificial saliva can give relief. Choose alcohol-free products.
Mouthwashes made specifically for dry mouth or with xylitol may help.

Modify Diet & Eating Habits

Choose soft, moist foods and add gravies, sauces or liquid to dry foods.
Avoid acidic, spicy, salty or crunchy foods that may irritate dry tissues.
Sip water with meals to aid chewing and swallowing.

Sleep & Environment Aid

Use a humidifier in your bedroom to add moisture to the air overnight.
Avoid sleeping with your mouth open if possible (nasal strips may help).
Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco, which worsen dryness

Review Medications

If a medicine is contributing, discuss options with your prescribing doctor. They might adjust dosage or switch to an alternative with fewer side effects.

Professional & Medical Treatments

In some cases, your dentist or doctor may prescribe medications (e.g. pilocarpine or cevimeline) to stimulate saliva production
They may also run tests (blood tests, imaging, saliva flow measurement, or even salivary gland biopsy) to find the cause.
Regular dental checkups become more important for dry mouth patients to catch decay early.

When to Seek Professional Help

You should see your dentist or GP if:

Dryness persists despite self-care

You struggle to eat, drink or speak

Your sense of taste changes persists

You have pain, swelling, bleeding, sores or white patches

You also have dry eyes, joint pain or other systemic issues (which might suggest Sjögren’s syndrome)

Early diagnosis and management can prevent long-term damage to your teeth, gums and comfort.

Dry mouth is common but often manageable. The key is early action and combining lifestyle changes, supportive products, and professional guidance. At Abbey Mead Dental & Implant Clinic, we encourage you to talk with us if you face persistent dryness. Together, we can identify the cause and tailor a plan to protect your oral health and comfort.

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4.9

Abbey Mead Dental and Implant Clinic

4.9

Flossie Jo

16:55 22 Sep 25

First appointment with Richard and his nurse Michaela earlier this week. Fabulous service from Louise on reception followed by an initial examination by Richard where everything was explained in a very relaxed environment. Would recommend to anyone wanting a quality service.

alison northcott

10:48 22 Sep 25

My husband has Parkinson’s as a result gets very anxious, we saw Clare this week who was patient and very kind to him, Excellent service thanks. I have been with you since the beginning and have always had brilliant service Thanks

Michael Webb

19:12 18 Aug 25

Request for urgent assessment of troublesome tooth met and dealt with within 3 hours. Outstanding service. Thank you Abbey Mead.

Keith McCalister

09:37 09 Aug 25

Very fast accurate appointments.Ideal location , close to town centre with plenty of parking nearby.Helpful reception staff.Excellent Dental consultation and treatment.

Iain Andrews

09:42 15 Jul 25

Have been a very satisfied patient at Abbeymead for many years and have seen changes over the years, so with new clinicians and support staff wondered how it would work out, one word - brilliantly!!My wife and I have the same dentist at the practice, and she is so gentle and reassuring to a ‘coward’ like me, but just as important so skilled and professional.We also use the dental hygienist services at the practice and here again, nothing but praise.Cannot recommend Abbeymead too highly to anyone looking for the a full range of dental and oral health services.Iain

Peter Rich

08:37 11 May 25

As you go into the practice your always welcomed by the friendly receptionist which puts you at ease, whether your appointment is with the dentist or hygienist both are very friendly, very polite & extremely professional.

Peter Sturgess

08:40 01 May 25

Dr Richard and his team are managing my implant “journey” with great care and consideration, explaining and inviting questions at every stage. Looking forward to the final stage; having my new teeth!

Mike Grimshaw

11:15 19 Apr 25

Hareer and her team did a great job on sorting out a long standing issue with a temporary crown fitted elsewhere. Great care and expertise with a very caring and pleasant manner.

CLIVE RAWSON

11:49 08 Apr 25

Very pleased with my recent treatment. I'd phoned Reception late one afternoon as a tooth and filling had snapped off. The next morning a complete composite tooth was in place. All of the staff were very helpful.

Leigh Leigh

10:08 14 Mar 25

Getting used to having a new dentist after so many years with the same one , but the new dentists I have seen have been really nice. And luckily Jenny the hygienist is still there.

Jonathan Hugman

13:21 12 Mar 25

I was treated under sedation. For a nervous patient (like me) i cannot recommend this enough. Very pleasant experience and felt very comfortable after the treatment. Great dental Practice and friendly staff. . .

westaway westaway

15:31 23 Feb 25

Excellent dental care, friendly and helpful practice, the best we have ever been to. They put you at your ease, so good for nervous patients.

Kathryn Arnold

16:58 07 Feb 25

Broke a tooth and was given an appointment same day. All prep for a crown done there and then with no fuss. Next steps and costs all clearly explained. Couldn’t fault the service

Charlie Beilby

05:23 07 Jan 25

This is the first time that I have been seen by Dr Richard Aldridge and this was a very good experience... a very thorough check, a careful explanation of what he found, a most friendly and helpful approach and I felt very confident in being under his care.The Receptionist and Nurse at The Clinic were also very helpful and friendly. I had considered stopping my Health Care Plan but this visit has changed my mind!Charlie Beilby

Anthea S

15:00 10 Dec 24

I write this on behalf of my husband, who is not into computers but does know a good dentist when he see one. Very good service throughout, from friendly and welcoming receptionists to proficient and able dental work. Personally, I do like the new decor, elegant green suits the waiting room perfectly and the sofa needs no improvement. Well done !

Caroline Smith

20:02 13 Nov 24

Would thoroughly recommend - the previous dentist was great but has retired. I met my new dentist today who was really thorough and friendly. Reassuring and great advice given

Christopher James

21:33 11 Nov 24

Called for an emergency appointment due to severe toothache Receptionist, extremely helpful booked an appointment within a two hour slot. Treatment and care was absolutely fabulous left with no pain whole procedure five star beginning to end.

Sharon Manhi

18:10 04 Nov 24

This morning I took my 92 year old mumfrom her care home in Bere Alston to Abbey Mead as she needed an urgent tooth extraction. Unfortunately she became unwell in the waiting area and wasn’t able to have the procedure done. It was very worrying to see her so poorly but the staff were totally amazing, they were so caring, kind and compassionate and all of them without fail took care of mum in every possible way. Amir the dentist was so kind and I could tell he was concerned about mums wellbeing. Louise and the rest of the team both reception staff and dental assistants were unbelievably kind. After a long time we decided the best thing for mum was to get her back to the care home - even then they still wanted to stay with her and accompanied us in the car and Amir followed behind in his car until we got back to the care home. I am beyond words to express my utmost thanks to them - I have never met a more dedicated and caring team of staff. Thank you so very much, Sharon Manhi

Jeanette Shackleton

15:37 22 Oct 24

Lost part of a tooth yesterday. Rang this morning and it was replaced and pretty perfect by 3pm. Thank you so much. As a new patient to this practise and being 67years of age I was very apprehensive but it’s the first filling I have ever had without having an injection. I was pleasantly surprised at how kind every one was, the dentist and staff were also pretty perfect.

John Burrows

13:35 02 Oct 24

Wednesday 2 OctoberUPDATE:I today received a call from the dental surgeon who treated me yesterday. He apologised for any misunderstanding and said that the extra charges should have been made clear to me. He agreed that there was no emergency and said that I would be refunded the emergency appointment charge that had been applied to the invoice. He said that he offered to carry out the repair yesterday as it was fairly straightforward and could be carried out in minimal time therefore avoiding a second appointment.I am entirely happy with the explanation and the excellent professional service.Tuesday 1 OctoberI attended at Abbey Mead Dental and Implant Clinic today having made the appointment on 17 September 2024, just before my regular session with the hygienist. The appointment was made in order to replace 2 fillings that I had lost. Specifically one was a filling and the other a piece of tooth that had broken away from a previous filling. When I made the appointment I did stress that I was in no pain, but had noticed another missing filling so had decided I needed them repaired. Indeed I told the hygienist that I had lost a filling on my previous appointment in June 2024 and I believe she added that to my notes.Today the dentist was very efficient and executed both repairs without the need for a local anesthetic and in all I was only in surgery for about 10 minutes.When I returned to reception I was presented with a bill for some £402, with the explanation that it included an amount of £69 for an emergency appointment. At no time did I request or was aware that this was an emergency appointment as in my view there was no emergency as I was in no pain.The receptionist did enquire as to if I had been informed of this emergency appointment charge at the time of making the appointment as I should have been made aware of it. I made clear that was not the case.Whilst I appreciate that there is a scale of charges applied to each treatment or combinations thereof and that the level of dexterity of the dentist performing the work will speed things up, I do feel that there should be some discount applied if the work undertaken is relatively simple and therefore can be completed in a reasonably short time. Notwithstanding the aforesaid unexpected emergency appointment charge the actual cost of the treatment of maybe 8 minutes work was some £333.I may not have been in pain before my appointment today, but I am certainly wincing a bit now.

Michele Berrie

16:20 26 Sep 24

Have just finished an implant procedure with Vivek. I had to have a sinus lift so the process was lengthy, several visits were necessary. Vivek is a highly skilled professional and his work reflected that. I'm very happy with the results of my implants. He and Lauren are a great team. Many thanks.

Pam White

20:57 17 Sep 24

Impressed with the consideration and understanding shown at my appointment today and especially with the ideas and solutions that were proposed. I was really appreciative of the thoughtfulness that was shown to me. Thank you so much.

Maurice Craze

14:06 04 Sep 24

Had an extraction yesterday the day after I rang for an urgent appointment. Good prompt service and pleasant reception.The operation itself was extremely efficient and painless!!

Trudie Tucker

10:32 16 Aug 24

Absolutely friendly staff, the receptionist was very welcoming, and the dentist I saw was very helpful and answered all my questions I had, I hate going to the dentist due to past experience with them, but this by far has been the best dentist I have ever been too, and they offer a dental plan which is great. Overall I would and will recommend them. Great work to all the staff, keep it up!

Mike Hearsum

13:58 23 Jul 24

Veneer had come off of front tooth. Prompt appointment and excellent service to remedy the situation.

Frances Spencer

18:39 18 Jul 24

my latest visit was to the hygenist. She is very thorough and gentle and tells me what is going on as she finds any trouble.I am new to private practice and was thinking every 3 months check up was a lot, but without me saying this my next review won't be till 4 months. Her teaching me how best to brush is paying off. I also pointed out I still have tenderness from a gum boil and she suggested see the dentist, so that is also booked (thankfully no pain). I have not adjusteed to paying (what seems to me, after a lifetime of NHS dentistry) a lot of money per visit, but they give good treatment

Iain White-Duncan

16:52 03 Jul 24

From arrival to departure the entire team take time to care, always have a smile, very knowledgeable reception team, leading experts in all things dental. If I could leave a six star review, I would.

Bob Cowen

12:27 25 Jun 24

Completed single implant today. Very happy with the whole process. Friendly. No problems. Quoted cost spot on.

Charles Avery

19:13 14 Jun 24

I have been with Abbey Mead for the last eight years.I have always found them very helpful and will always try to help you.so l would recommend.

Mandy Glanville

06:47 14 Jun 24

Had recent treatment here with a new dentist as mine has retired. Very pleased with the treatment.

Linda Fairhead

06:18 11 Jun 24

Been with Abbey Mead for a few years now and always at ease. I am a very nervous patient, so need a dentist with patience. Big shout out for Flo and Becks the fantastic receptionist are two of the loveliest people. Also a special thanks to Jenni, my first time with her for hygeine appointment and she was fantastic with me. Thank you all. Linda F

Ruth Durling

16:13 05 Jun 24

Easy parking. Clean waiting room. Seen promptly. Efficient and kindly dentist.Happy to recommend.

Nicholas Jenkin

07:59 31 May 24

Great staff, nice environment, reliable.

toshi sakamoto

13:22 13 May 24

I have had two visits to the dentist in the last month. One for a routine check up and one for a tooth extraction. On both visits, I was very happy with the new (ish?) dentist DR Georgios Kallivretakis as him and his team were professional, calming, caring and explained everything clearly.I had a bad experience with a previous tooth extraction so wanted to mention how the two receptionists Flo and Becks made me feel reassured and comfortable due to them being professional, empathetic and friendly.Dentists aren’t the best places to go for many but it’s amazing what a difference it makes when the first and the last person you see after any procedure , in this case Flo and Becks are such delightful, friendly and lovely people.The business should be very happy that they have such great staff working for them.

Neil Harper

06:47 11 May 24

Enjoyed talking about the bus station with Jenny, and the dental care is great too!

Margot Ward

11:40 04 May 24

Jenny the dental hygienist is one of the loveliest people you could wish to meet, and a brilliant dental hygienist.

Wendy Payne

10:28 02 May 24

Had an amazing dentist today George was very gentle kind and extremely informative 👌 Highly recommended

Shahin Shamsolahi

22:30 13 Mar 23

Dr Mc Veigh is a genius. My implants are like real teeth. He explains everything so clearly and thoroughly from start and suggests your best options. His aftercare is fantastic and has your best interest at heart . He is a very skilful dentist and a true gentleman, he made the whole experience easy for me. I definitely recommend Abbey mead and Dr Mc Veigh for a painless and perfect implant.

Linda Fairhead

10:34 08 Feb 23

Just registered with Abbey Mead and had my first visit today and felt completely at ease. Receptionist was lovely and dentist and dental nurse were very friendly and for a nervous patient, I felt really at ease.

SallyAnne Brown

12:25 17 Oct 22

Amazing Dental practice!!! The hygienist is absolutely wonderful so gentle and makes you feel so at ease. Paddy is so knowledgeable one of the best Dentists in this area. I can honestly say they are just brilliant all round. I am incredibly nervous and I often feel really embarressed, anxious and panic because I am so scared but they are all lovely. I hide it well but it is not easy to attend appointments when you feel so reluctant but I have kept up with my annual appointments so far because they are so professional. Thank you 😊

Luis de la Torre

19:55 15 Jun 22

Final fitting of my implant today. Successfully accomplished. I am extremely happy about it because this implant hasn't been easy to get established. Dr McVeigh provides a high standard of care and I always felt confident in his judgement that a successful outcome could be achieved.The reception staff also deserve a mention. Always friendly, welcoming and professional.

Celia Cuff

12:40 18 Apr 22

I've just finished my treatment at this practice, firstly I was impressed with the covid measures made me feel safe, I had fillings ,a crown ,and a bridge implant, everything was explained to me in detail all the way through the treatment , an apprehension was soon gone, my bridge implant is amazing I'm so happy it looks so real ,no problems.Highly recommend this practice lovely friendly staff Paddy was great many thanks to you all

Valerie Goad

11:58 27 Jan 22

As a new patient to Abbey Mead I found the reception staff friendly, helpful and the whole surgery completely COVID safe. Whilst it is daunting considering implant surgery, the whole procedure was explained at every stage and questions were addressed in a professional but friendly way. The attention to detail was excellent and I am absolutely delighted with the result. Definitely worth the money.

Lucy Miller

15:24 21 Oct 21

Absolutely wonderful practice, have always provided me with outstanding dental and customer care. The administration team are always so polite and wonderful! Such caring and understaing people who are always willing to help and provide you with advice when you need it . Paddy has done such wonders for me in helping sort out my teeth and he continues to prove his incredible work with every procedure I under go. Couldn't thank the team enough for helping me over come my fears and making me feel at home when I am in the clinic.

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Dry Mouth: Causes, Symptoms & Remedies

What Is Dry Mouth?

Common Causes of Dry Mouth

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When to Seek Professional Help

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