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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Health and wellbeing
    3. Illnesses and conditions
    4. A to Z

    Dry mouth

    A dry mouth is rarely a sign of anything serious. There are things you can do to help ease it yourself, (see section below on things to help ease a dry mouth). You should see your GP if these don't work or you also have other symptoms.

    Causes of a dry mouth

    The main causes of a dry mouth are:

    • dehydration – for example, from not drinking enough, sweating a lot or being ill
    • medicines – check the leaflet or search for your medicine online to see if dry mouth is a side effect
    • breathing through your mouth at night – this can happen if you have a blocked nose or you sleep with your mouth open
    • anxiety
    • cancer treatment (radiotherapy or chemotherapy)

    Sometimes a dry mouth that doesn't go away may be caused by a condition like diabetes or Sjögren's syndrome.

    How to help ease a dry mouth yourself

    There are things you can do to help ease a dry mouth yourself. These include:

    • drinking plenty of water – take regular sips during the day and keep some water by your bed at night
    • sucking on ice cubes or ice lollies
    • chewing sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free sweets
    • using lip balm if your lips are also dry
    • brushing your teeth twice a day and use alcohol-free mouthwash – you're more likely to get tooth decay if you have a dry mouth
    • not drinking lots of alcohol, caffeine (such as tea and coffee) or fizzy drinks
    • not having foods that are acidic (like lemons), spicy, salty or sugary
    • not smoking
    • don’t stop taking a prescribed medicine without getting medical advice first – even if you think it might be causing your symptoms

    A pharmacist can help if you have a dry mouth

    Ask a pharmacist about treatments you can buy to help keep your mouth moist.

    These can include:

    • gels
    • sprays
    • tablets or lozenges

    Not all products are suitable for everyone. Ask a pharmacist for advice about the best one for you.

    If your dry mouth might be caused by a blocked nose, a pharmacist may suggest decongestants to unblock it.

    When to see your GP

    You should see your GP if:

    • your mouth is still dry after trying home or pharmacy treatments for a few weeks
    • you have difficulty chewing, swallowing or talking
    • your mouth is painful, red or swollen
    • you have sore white patches in your mouth
    • you think a prescribed medicine might be causing your dry mouth
    • you have other symptoms, like needing to pee a lot or dry eyes

    They can check what the cause might be and recommend treatment for it.

    More useful links

    • How to use your health services

    The information on this page has been adapted from original content from the NHS website.

    For further information see terms and conditions.

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