Did you ever get the feeling that your tongue is sticking to your teeth or gums?  That no matter what you do, your mouth feels drier than if you had sucked on sand? Well, this is a phenomenon called “dry mouth” and while there are many causes for it, there are some ways to control it.

As we age, our bodies tend to produce less and less saliva, which is needed to fight the hostile environment that allows bacteria to grow and keeps the mouth moist and healthy. If you take prescription drugs, you will see that a common side effect is dry mouth, and many over-the-counter medications, especially those to fight allergies and heartburn, promote dry mouth as well. Smoking, alcohol, coffee and talking a lot all contribute to this phenomenon as well.

So…how do you beat dry mouth?  Here are a few simple tricks that you can easily perform in your daily routine to help:

  • Drink LOTS of water. While it may not be the same as naturally produced saliva, water helps keep the mouth moist, so a good eight glasses a day will help tons!
  • Do not smoke. While known for many other dangerous health effects, smoking tobacco is a major contributor to dry mouth.
  • Check your mouthwash. Alcohol-free mouthwash is readily available and doesn’t promote dry mouth to the same degree as products that contain alcohol.
  • Check your toothpaste. Try to find toothpastes that do not contain sodium laurel sulfate, which is a soap-like compound that contributes to dry mouth.
  • Suck on a lozenge. This will promote salivation, but don’t forget – sugar contributes to bad breath, so be sure you find lozenges that are sugar-free.
  • Don’t talk! —- not really, we wanted to be sure you were paying attention. But if you do a lot of talking, or if you speak for a living, be sure to take plenty of sips of water during your sessions to keep your mouth hydrated.

And, of course, be sure to keep your tongue healthy by incorporating TUNG Brush and Gel in your daily oral hygiene routine. Your mouth will thank you, your breath will thank you, and you won’t feel like you are sucking on sand!