Dry Mouth: Causes, Medications, and What You Can Do
When your mouth feels stuck, scratchy, or like you haven’t had a drink in hours—even when you have—you’re dealing with dry mouth, a condition where your salivary glands don’t produce enough saliva to keep your mouth moist. Also known as xerostomia, it’s not just annoying—it can make eating, speaking, and even sleeping harder, and it raises your risk for tooth decay and infections.
Many common medications cause dry mouth as a side effect, including antidepressants, blood pressure pills, antihistamines, and pain relievers. If you’re taking more than one drug, the chances go up fast. It’s not always the medicine itself, but how your body reacts to the combo. medication side effects, the unintended consequences of taking drugs, even when used correctly, are a leading cause of dry mouth in adults over 50. Dehydration plays a role too, especially if you’re not drinking enough water, drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, or breathing through your mouth at night. And sometimes, dry mouth isn’t about what you’re taking—it’s about what’s happening inside your body, like diabetes, Sjögren’s syndrome, or nerve damage from past injuries.
Saliva isn’t just there to help you swallow. It neutralizes acids, washes away food particles, and protects your teeth from decay. Without enough of it, your mouth becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. You might notice your tongue feels rough, your lips crack, or your dentures don’t stay put. Some people even lose their sense of taste. The good news? You don’t have to just live with it. Simple fixes like sipping water throughout the day, chewing sugar-free gum, or using a humidifier at night can help. There are also prescription rinses and sprays designed to boost saliva production. And if your dry mouth is linked to a specific drug, talking to your doctor about alternatives might be the best move.
What you’ll find below are real, practical guides from people who’ve dealt with this—whether it’s because of their heart meds, antidepressants, or just aging. You’ll see how others managed dry mouth while staying on their treatment plans, what products actually work, and how to spot when it’s more than just a side effect.
