The 14 Best Home Remedies For Dry Mouth

  references
  
      Brazilian Dental Journal: "How Common is Dry Mouth? Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis of Prevalence Estimates"
    
      Intensive Care Medicine : "A Randomized Clinical Trial of an Intervention to Relieve Thirst and Dry Mouth in Intensive Care Unit Patients"
    
      ADA: "Xerostomia"
    
      International Journal of Advanced Research: "THE IMPROVEMENT OF SALIVA FLOW RATE BY GARGLING GREEN TEA STEPPING IN MENOPAUSE WOMEN WITH XEROSTOMIA"
    
      Hemodialysis International: " The effect of chewing gum on dry mouth, interdialytic weight gain, and intradialytic symptoms: A prospective, randomized controlled trial "
    
      Brazilian Nursing Journal: "Effect of chewing gum on thirst: an integrative review"
    
      Johns Hopkins Sjogren Center: "Management of Dry Mouth"
    
      Integrative Cancer Therapies: "Acupuncture for Radiation-Induced Xerostomia in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis"
    
      Japanese Dental Science Review: "Thirst sensation and oral dryness following alcohol intake"
    
      Journal of the American Dental Association: "The pH of beverages in the United States"
    
      Epidemiology and Health: "The effect of demographic characteristics on the relationship between smoking and dry mouth in Iran: a cross-sectional, case-control study"
    
      Mayo Clinic: "Dry mouth treatment: Tips for controlling dry mouth"
    
      Johns Hopkins Medicine: "Dry Mouth Remedies: 14 to Try"

Is this an emergency? If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911.

Choose a mouthwash that's free from alcohol to help ease dry mouth.

Image Credit: AndreyPopov/iStock/GettyImages

The Refresh is helping you freshen up on your oral-care knowledge and upgrade your dental-hygiene routine.

Image Credit: AndreyPopov/iStock/GettyImages

The Refresh is helping you freshen up on your oral-care knowledge and upgrade your dental-hygiene routine.

Water
Adjust Medications
Saliva-Stimulating Tablet
Mouth Moisturizer
Humidifier
Sugar-Free Gum
Zero-Sugar Lozenge
Lip Balm
Brush
Mouthwash
Diet
Acupuncture
Quit Smoking
Breathe Through Nose
What Causes Mouth Dryness?

Ice water — along with sucking on ice chips — is a first-line strategy to moisten your mouth.

Image Credit: Doucefleur/iStock/GettyImages

While it’s important to increase your water intake, steer clear of these sippers:

‌Caffeinated drinks:‌ We’re not cruel enough to say you can’t have that morning coffee! But stick to just one cup of java or tea a day, instead of five or six. “Caffeine is a diuretic, which dehydrate you,” Dr. Messadi says. ‌Alcohol:‌ This also falls into the diuretic category. An August 2017 study in the ‌Japanese Dental Science Review‌ concluded that heavy drinking increases thirst and oral dryness. ‌Anything sugary, including sports drinks:‌ You know soda’s not healthy, but you might think reaching for a Gatorade or coconut water will soothe your parched mouth better than plain old H20. ‌Carbonated drinks:‌ According to an April 2016 study in the ‌Journal of the American Dental Association‌, bubbles (even sparkling water) increase acidity, which can erode tooth enamel and make it easier for cavities to set in. If you love your Spindrift, at least have it with a meal. Consuming fizzy drinks with food helps buffer acidity, per the Johns Hopkins Sjogren Center.

‌Caffeinated drinks:‌ We’re not cruel enough to say you can’t have that morning coffee! But stick to just one cup of java or tea a day, instead of five or six. “Caffeine is a diuretic, which dehydrate you,” Dr. Messadi says.
‌Alcohol:‌ This also falls into the diuretic category. An August 2017 study in the ‌Japanese Dental Science Review‌ concluded that heavy drinking increases thirst and oral dryness.
‌Anything sugary, including sports drinks:‌ You know soda’s not healthy, but you might think reaching for a Gatorade or coconut water will soothe your parched mouth better than plain old H20.
‌Carbonated drinks:‌ According to an April 2016 study in the ‌Journal of the American Dental Association‌, bubbles (even sparkling water) increase acidity, which can erode tooth enamel and make it easier for cavities to set in. If you love your Spindrift, at least have it with a meal. Consuming fizzy drinks with food helps buffer acidity, per the Johns Hopkins Sjogren Center.
Changing a medication — or its dose or the time when you take it — can sometimes help ease dry mouth that’s the result of taking a medication. Image Credit: Iuliia Bondar/Moment/GettyImages

Image Credit: Iuliia Bondar/Moment/GettyImages

A variety of over-the-counter mouth sprays may help to alleviate dry mouth.

Image Credit: solidcolours/iStock/GettyImages

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Applying chapstick can help ease chapped lips, which often accompany dry mouth.

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Try breathing through your nose, instead of your mouth, to reduce your risk of dry mouth.

Image Credit: tommaso79/iStock/GettyImages

A few things could be at play. “COVID-19 causes nasal congestion, which may lead you to breathe more from your mouth,” Dr. Messadi says. “And if you take a decongestant, this can also result in dry mouth.” Plus, you know how COVID-19 can impact your nerves, causing you to lose your sense of smell and taste? It turns out these same nerves are integral to saliva production. “Saliva is secreted by a specific nerve enervation to the salivary gland,” Dr. Messadi says. “COVID-19 can create irritation in these nerves, and the salivary glands won’t activate.” To soothe dry mouth while you have COVID-19, drink plenty of water, try a saliva substitute (such a spray or XyliMelt tablet) and make the humidifier your BFF.

Plus, you know how COVID-19 can impact your nerves, causing you to lose your sense of smell and taste? It turns out these same nerves are integral to saliva production. “Saliva is secreted by a specific nerve enervation to the salivary gland,” Dr. Messadi says. “COVID-19 can create irritation in these nerves, and the salivary glands won’t activate.”

To soothe dry mouth while you have COVID-19, drink plenty of water, try a saliva substitute (such a spray or XyliMelt tablet) and make the humidifier your BFF.

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      Brazilian Dental Journal: "How Common is Dry Mouth? Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis of Prevalence Estimates"
    
      Intensive Care Medicine : "A Randomized Clinical Trial of an Intervention to Relieve Thirst and Dry Mouth in Intensive Care Unit Patients"
    
      ADA: "Xerostomia"
    
      International Journal of Advanced Research: "THE IMPROVEMENT OF SALIVA FLOW RATE BY GARGLING GREEN TEA STEPPING IN MENOPAUSE WOMEN WITH XEROSTOMIA"
    
      Hemodialysis International: " The effect of chewing gum on dry mouth, interdialytic weight gain, and intradialytic symptoms: A prospective, randomized controlled trial "
    
      Brazilian Nursing Journal: "Effect of chewing gum on thirst: an integrative review"
    
      Johns Hopkins Sjogren Center: "Management of Dry Mouth"
    
      Integrative Cancer Therapies: "Acupuncture for Radiation-Induced Xerostomia in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis"
    
      Japanese Dental Science Review: "Thirst sensation and oral dryness following alcohol intake"
    
      Journal of the American Dental Association: "The pH of beverages in the United States"
    
      Epidemiology and Health: "The effect of demographic characteristics on the relationship between smoking and dry mouth in Iran: a cross-sectional, case-control study"
    
      Mayo Clinic: "Dry mouth treatment: Tips for controlling dry mouth"
    
      Johns Hopkins Medicine: "Dry Mouth Remedies: 14 to Try"