10 Natural Remedies For Dry Mouth Relief – Add Freshness to Your Breath

| Author: Manoja Kalakanti

Have you ever heard about xerostomia? More commonly known as dry mouth, it is a condition when your mouth does not produce enough saliva to wet your mouth. Dry mouth is usually found in aging individuals, but aging is not the only reason you have it. There are other underlying reasons for this condition. If you have ever experienced this condition and wondered what do about it, your search ends right here, you’ll find all the dry mouth causes, remedies, and solutions.

dry mouth causes, remedies, and solutions.

Dry Mouth Causes – What are They?

This is something which impacts the salivary glands and causes dysfunction. There are many factors that lead to the dysfunction of these glands, such as:

  • Medication: A few specific medications can lead to dry mouth. Over-the-counter drugs that treat depression and high blood pressure have several side effects, one of them being a dry
  • Aging: When you age, your body functions also get altered with This, along with the consumption of various medications, dries up with age.
  • Smoking: People who smoke also suffer from the repercussions of a dry mouth.
  • Nerve Damage: If you have been injured near your head or neck, there is an increasing chance of nerve damage especially near your head or neck. Nerve damage can also affect your mouth, resulting in a dry mouth.
  • Stress: Do you know that stress can also result in a dry mouth? You will now realize how you suddenly develop a dry mouth when you get unduly stressed.
  • Specific health conditions: Dry mouth is a direct result of health conditions such as fever or diabetes. It may result from HIV/AIDS and Alzheimer’s disease. Dry mouth is also one of the most common symptoms of a thyroid
  • Breathing through the mouth – Are you someone who keeps breathing through the mouth while you sleep? Then chances are you may wake up with a dry mouth and chapped lips.
  • Being pregnant – Owing to hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy, women may get gestational diabetes as well, which leads to dry and raw mouth.

Has this set you thinking that you may suffer from dry mouth as well? So, are you wondering about how to get rid of dry mouth? Before we list out the home remedies for dry mouth, check out the symptoms here.

What Are The Symptoms Of Dry Mouth?

Yes, we know that you have a dry mouth, but what are the other symptoms of dry mouth?

  • A dry feeling in the mouth
  • A hoarse voice coupled with a dry throat
  • Constant feeling of thirst
  • Difficulty in both speaking or swallowing
  • Chapped lips
  • A coated tongue, resulting in a white tongue. This usually results from a fungal or bacterial overgrowth.
  • Pale gums
  • Dehydration triggering of headaches
  • Foul breath
  • Dry hacking
  • Sores and ulcers
  • Bleeding gums coupled with decaying teeth

These symptoms are most often mild and moderate and can be treated with home remedies.

10 Natural Remedies For Dry Mouth Relief

A dry mouth is what you can call bad news in general. It’s an uncomfortable situation to suffer but fear not, for we have the right home remedies for dry mouth relief.

Ginger

  1. Ginger

Ginger has been a part of the medicinal cabinet of our ancestors for ages. The presence of a bioactive compound called gingerol is what makes it such a potent remedy. Ginger is also said to stimulate saliva, lending a freshness to your mouth.

The things you will need

  • 1 inch of ginger
  • A cup of water
  • Honey

Remedy

Cut the ginger into small pieces. Add the same to a cup of water and boil it. Strain the concoction and add honey to it before you drink it. Another interesting way to add ginger to your meal planning is chewing a small piece of ginger all throughout the day. Ginger is wonderful for your health, so you can drink a cup or two throughout the day.

Green Tea

  1. Green Tea

Green tea is great for your health, period; and it is great to fix a dry mouth too. It is antibacterial in nature and has tremendous properties to prevent cavities in your mouth. What matters is that green tea can also fix a dry mouth.

The things you will need

  • 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves
  • 1 cup of water
  • Honey (optional)

Remedy

Brew yourself a cup of green tea. Strain it and add honey to enjoy the taste. Consume as soon as you make it. Do not overdo it, 2-3 cups a day is ideal.

Aloe Vera Juice

  1. Aloe Vera Juice

    Aloe Vera is that miracle plant that provides a solution to most of your ailments, and dry mouth is no different. It activates the salivary glands and boosts the saliva production in your mouth.

    The things you will need

    • ¼ cup of Aloe Vera juice/Aloe Vera Gel
    • Cotton pads

    Remedy

    Drink Aloe Vera juice every day or try to rinse your mouth with the juice. You can also try another remedy, take Aloe Vera gel in a cotton pad and just rub the insides of your mouth with it. Let the solution stay in your mouth for a few minutes, then wash it off thoroughly. Apply the Aloe Vera juice once or twice a day.

Lemon Juice

  1. Lemon Juice

Lemons are a said to be a major boon for your health. The high citric acid content in lemons helps your mouth clean and fresh all the while stimulating saliva in your mouth.

The things you will need

  • ½ lemon
  • Honey (optional)
  • 1 glass of water

Remedy

Squeeze the lemon juice into a glass of water. Sweeten it up with honey and have it twice or thrice a day. Make sure you do not overdo as it may end up harming your teeth enamel.

Orange Juice

  1. Orange Juice

Another citric-acid enriched fruit, that does wonders to your dry mouth. In addition, it keeps your mouth fresh all day long, removing all traces of bad breath. It is also rich in citric acid that stimulates the salivary glands and acts as a potential solution to dry mouth.

The things you will need

  • Oranges
  • 1 glass of water

Remedy

Try this uber simple remedy, peel an orange and juice it up! Consume fresh, or if you have more than the required amount, store it in a bottle and keep consuming it throughout the day. Drinking orange juice has a wide number of benefits, so add more of it in your diet.

Fennel

  1. Fennel

Fennel seeds are enriched with flavonoids (a group of plant metabolites). Flavonoids are especially great in producing saliva and keeping your mouth fresh and clean. The aromatic flavor of fennel works doubly hard to keep your mouth all fresh and clean for a long time.

The things you will need

  • 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds

Remedy

Chew some fennel seeds after every meal, it instantly makes a difference. This also helps activate your digestive juices aiding digestion. Now you know why to get served with fennel seeds at a restaurant.

Aniseed

  1. Aniseed

Aniseed, scientifically referred as the Pimpinella anisum, is a versatile herb. It has many medicinal properties. It works as an appetite stimulant. It has a licorice flavor that keeps mouth odours at bay, helps fight bad breath and helps to get rid of dry mouth.

The things you will need

  • 1 teaspoon of aniseed
  • 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds (optional)

Remedy

Take the simple route and munch on some aniseed after every meal. You can also try to combine aniseed and fennel seeds to add the right flavor and do away with all signs of dry mouth.

Rosemary

  1. Rosemary

Rosemary aka fennel seeds have a lovely aroma. They not only have antiseptic and soothing properties, but are a great home remedy to combat dry mouth and its symptoms.

The things you will need

  • 10-12 rosemary leaves
  • 1 glass of water

Remedy

Soak 10-12 leaves of rosemary in a glass of water, overnight. Use the same to rinse your mouth every morning.

Oil Pulling

  1. Oil Pulling

Oil pulling has been a part of Ayurveda for ages and it is a super effective process that detoxifies your mouth and keeps all viruses and bacteria at bay. It involves swishing your mouth with a potent oil, say a cold-pressed virgin variety of coconut or sesame oil. This you do before you brush your teeth as soon as you wake up. Coconut oil has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties, so it is particularly effective for oil pulling.

Things you will need

  • 1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Remedy

Swish the coconut oil in your mouth for 20 minutes. Start with 10 minutes and then slowly build it up to 20 minutes. Spit out the oil. It seems a little obnoxious at first, especially when you do it in the winters and the coconut oil is in its solid avatar. But you will soon get used to it and ensure that you do not swallow the oil when you swish it around your mouth as the oil you spit out after swishing it around your mouth contains all the viruses and bacteria. Brush your teeth after the oil-pulling process.

A dehydrated mouth does not feel good, but yes, besides the above-mentioned home remedies for dry mouth, you can also make some lifestyle changes to get rid of dry mouth.

  • Avoid caffeine. I reduced my caffeine intake for the latter part of the day as it makes my mouth severely dry, and caffeine indeed is very dehydrating. Cut it down to 1-2 cups a day, also try and stop consuming caffeine post 4 pm as it interferes with your sleep.
  • Reduce alcohol intake. Alcohol like caffeine also results in a dry mouth. When you experience all the symptoms of a dry mouth, try to negate the ill effects of the same by drinking adequate amounts of water.
  • Stop smoking, period. Reducing and finally quitting the smoking habit can help combat dry mouth symptoms, especially if it is the cause in the first place. Most studies prove that smoking, in fact, causes dry mouth. So, if you have a dry mouth and you smoke, you know what you need to do to get relief.
  • Reduce your sugar intake. Caffeine intake, alcohol smoking and sugar have dehydrating If you have been experiencing a dry mouth lately and been indulging in sugary treats, you know what to reduce in your diet. The fizzy drinks (that contains an insane amount of sugar) are particularly to be blamed. Strike them off from your foods-to-eat list for good.
  • Suck on sugarless candies. This is a short-term remedy, but it works and provides quick relief from dry mouth. Add more cough drops, lozenges or sugar-free candies to get rid of a dry mouth quickly.
  • Improve overall oral care. Dry mouth also means that you may not have a great oral hygiene routine. To improve the health of your mouth, make sure you floss, use a fluoride toothpaste and a mouthwash regularly.
  • Use alcohol-free mouthwash. Mouthwashes are great in maintaining good oral hygiene, which often leads to a dry mouth. A few types of mouthwash contain xylitol that helps promote saliva production.
  • Avoid breathing through your mouth. Easier said than done, I know, but mouth breathing can make the condition of a dry mouth worse and also affects your oral health to a great extent.
  • A humidifier can help. You can improve the moisture content of your mouth by simply adding more moisture to your immediate environment. One study suggested that humidification could moderately improve dry mouth symptoms. Running a humidifier at night may reduce discomfort and improve sleep.

 

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