What are the causes of a dry mouth when on medication?

One of the side effects of certain prescription medications is a dry mouth. Dry mouth is a common side effect of drugs used to treat anxiety and depression, allergies (decongestants and antihistamines), diarrhea, pain, Parkinson's disease and urinary incontinence.

Symptoms of Dry Mouth

If you experience difficulty tasting, chewing and swallowing, a sticky dry feeling in the mouth, sores in the mouth, frequent thirst, sores or split skin at the corners of the mouth, cracked lips, a dry feeling in the throat, a burning or tingling sensation in the mouth and especially on the tongue, a dry, red, raw tongue, or problems speaking, your symptoms may be caused by a prescription drug you are taking.
Dry mouth can also contribute to bad breath, hoarseness, dry nasal passages and a sore throat.

Why is My Mouth Dry?

The medical name for dry mouth is Xerostomia. It is a condition when your salivary glands do not function properly. It usually results in low secretion of saliva in the mouth. Your mouth has three sets of saliva glands. With certain prescription drugs, one, two or all three glands are affected and so it diminishes your saliva output.

Why Dry Mouth is a Problem

You need adequate saliva to digest food and cleanse your mouth. Dry mouth also makes you more prone to getting gum disease and mouth infections. It is also more difficult for you to wear dentures if you do not have sufficient saliva.

Medicines that Cause Dry Mouth

Antidepressants including Flexaryl, Elavil, and others cause dry mouth. Some diet pills otherwise known as Anorexiants cause dry mouth. Certain sedatives and sleeping aids, blood pressure medications, diabetes medications, antihistamines including Benadryl, and anti-psychotic drugs will often times cause dry mouth. Sometimes it is the interaction or combination of two different drugs that cause the side effect of dry mouth. The more prescription medications that you take, the higher the likelihood of having the effect of dry mouth.

How to Avoid Dry Mouth

The most important thing that you can do to avoid a dry mouth is to advise your doctor of what medications you are taking that may be causing it. He can check to see what the side effects are. He may be able to lower the dosage or give you an alternative prescription. You can also suck on sugar-free candy or chew sugar-free gum, drink plenty of water, use a fluoride rinse and visit your dentist regularly. Also, it is advised that you breath through your nose, not your mouth, as much as possible and use a room vaporizer to add moisture to the bedroom air. There are also over-the-counter artificial saliva substitutes which can help when used daily.

Source:

Quantum Health: Dry Mouth and Prescription Drugs

Medicinenet.com: Dry Mouth

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