Dry Mouth

Dry mouth is a common condition which complicates people’s oral health. To protect our patients at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we want them to be aware of how this common medication side-effect can hurt them and what they need to do about it.

The drugs which cause dry mouth include those used as part of chemotherapy, as well as medications used for mood disorders, high blood pressure, and pain. Therefore, dry mouth is most commonly seen in the elderly. Of course, smoking is also a major contributor. (Older people, especially women, are also at risk of developing an auto-immune disorder called Sjögren’s syndrome which causes dry mouth and eyes.) When the mouth isn’t producing enough saliva, patients have difficulty chewing and swallowing, which harms their nutrition. Food particles also tend to remain stuck, contributing to plaque build-up, and patients are less able to fight off bacterial infections which cause sores. A dry mouth also makes it difficult to get restful sleep.

If possible, patients may want to change medications. If this is not worth the tradeoff, there are products that can act as artificial saliva and additional medications which can make the mouth produce more moisture. Patients should also drink plenty of water and stop using caffeinated and sugary beverages which dry out the mouth faster.

Drs. Ramin Braham and Brad Richman operate the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania at 2546 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19145. To schedule an appointment, call 215-463-4141 or visit OralSurgeryPA.com and fill out a contact sheet.