U.S. Department of HealtH anD HUman ServiceS 

national institutes of Health 

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research 

What do I need to know 

about dry mouth? 

Dry mouth is the feeling 

that there is not enough saliva 

in the mouth. 

Everyone has a dry mouth 

once in a while—if they are 

nervous, upset or under stress. 

But if you have a dry mouth 

all or most of the time, it can be 

uncomfortable and can lead to 

serious health problems. It can 

also be a sign of certain diseases 

and conditions. 

Dry mouth... 

•	 can cause difficulties in

tasting, chewing, swallowing, 

and speaking 

•	 can increase your chance of

developing dental decay and 

other infections in the mouth 

•	 can be caused by certain medi

cations or medical treatments 

­

Dry mouth is not a normal 

part of aging. So if you think 

you have dry mouth, see your 

dentist or physician—there are 

things you can do to get relief. 

Symptoms include: 

•	 a sticky, dry feeling in

the mouth 

•	 trouble chewing, swallowing,

tasting, or speaking 

•	 a burning feeling in

the mouth 

•	 a dry feeling in the throat

•	 cracked lips

•	 a dry, rough tongue

•	 mouth sores

•	 an infection in the mouth

The technical term for 

dry mouth is xerostomia 

(ZEER-oh-STOH-mee-ah) 
	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	

Some people feel they 

have a dry mouth 

even if their salivary 

glands are working 

correctly. People with 

certain disorders, like 

Alzheimer’s disease or 

those who have suffered 

a stroke, may not be 

able to feel wetness in 

their mouth. 

Why is saliva 

so important? 

Saliva does more than keep 

the mouth wet. 

•	 It helps digest food

•	 It protects teeth from decay

•	 It prevents infection by

controlling bacteria and fungi 

in the mouth 

•	 It makes it possible for you to

chew and swallow 

Without enough saliva you 

can develop tooth decay or other 

infections in the mouth. You also 

might not get the nutrients you 

need if you cannot chew and 

swallow certain foods. 

What causes dry 

mouth? 

People get dry mouth when 

the glands in the mouth that 

make saliva are not working 

properly. Because of this, there 

might not be enough saliva to 

keep your mouth wet. There are 

several reasons why these glands 

(called salivary glands) might not 

work right. 

•	 Side effects of some 

medicines. More than 400 

medicines can cause the 

salivary glands to make less 

saliva. For example, medicines 

for high blood pressure 

and depression often cause 

dry mouth. 
•	 Disease. Some diseases 

affect the salivary glands. For 

example, Sjögren’s syndrome, 

HIV/AIDS, and diabetes can 

all cause dry mouth. 

•	 radiation therapy. The 

salivary glands can be 

damaged if they are 

exposed to radiation 

during cancer treatment. 

•	 chemotherapy. Drugs used 

to treat cancer can make 

saliva thicker, causing the 

mouth to feel dry. 

•	 nerve Damage. Injury to the 

head or neck can damage the 

nerves that tell salivary glands 

to make saliva. 

What can be done 

about dry mouth? 

Dry mouth treatment will 

depend on what is causing the 

problem. If you think you have 

dry mouth, see your dentist or 

physician. He or she can try to 

determine what is causing your 

dry mouth. 

•	 If your dry mouth is caused

by medicine, your physician 

might change your medicine 

or adjust the dosage. 

•	 If your salivary glands are

not working right but can still 

produce some saliva, your 

physician or dentist might 

give you a medicine that 

helps the glands work better. 

•	 Your physician or dentist

might suggest that you use 

artificial saliva to keep your 

mouth wet. 
What can I do? 

•	 Sip water or sugarless

drinks often. 

•	 Avoid drinks with caffeine,

such as coffee, tea, and some 

sodas. Caffeine can dry out 

the mouth. 

•	 Sip water or a sugarless drink

during meals. This will make 

chewing and swallowing 

easier. It may also improve 

the taste of food. 

•	 Chew sugarless gum or suck

on sugarless hard candy to 

stimulate saliva flow; citrus, 

cinnamon or mint-flavored 

candies are good choices. 

•	 Don’t use tobacco or alcohol.

They dry out the mouth. 

•	 Be aware that spicy or salty

foods may cause pain in a 

dry mouth. 

•	 Use a humidifier at night.

Tips for keeping your 

teeth healthy 

Remember, if you have dry 

mouth, you need to be extra 

careful to keep your teeth 

healthy. Make sure you: 

•	 Gently brush your teeth at

least twice a day. 

•	 Floss your teeth every day.

•	 Use toothpaste with fluoride

in it. Most toothpastes sold at 

grocery and drug stores have 

fluoride in them. 

•	 Avoid sticky, sugary foods.

If you do eat them, brush 

immediately afterwards. 

•	 Visit your dentist for a checkup at least twice a year. Your 

dentist might also suggest you 

use a prescription-strength 

fluoride gel (which is like a 

toothpaste) to help prevent 

dental decay. 
 

 

 

 

For more information on 

Sjögren’s Syndrome 

The main symptoms of 

Sjögren’s syndrome are dry mouth 

and dry eyes. For information about 

dry mouth related to Sjögren’s 

syndrome, contact: 

Sjögren’s Syndrome Clinic 

National Institute of Dental 

and Craniofacial Research 

Building 10, Room 1N113 

10 Center Drive MSC 1190 

Bethesda, MD 20892-1190 

Tel: 301-435-8528 

http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/ 

Research/NIDCRLaboratories/ 

MolecularPhysiology/ 

SjogrensSyndrome/ 

Sjögren’s Syndrome 

Foundation, Inc. 

6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 325 

Bethesda, MD 20817 

Tel: 1-800-475-6473 

http://www.sjogrens.org 

For additional copies of 

this publication contact: 

National Institute of Dental and 

Craniofacial Research 

National Oral Health 

Information Clearinghouse 

1 NOHIC Way 

Bethesda, MD 20892-3500 

Tel: 1-866-232-4528 

www.nidcr.nih.gov 

This publication is not 

copyrighted. Make as many 

photocopies as you need. 
NIH Publication No. 10-3174
 

Reprinted February 2010