Dry Mouth Best Recommendations:

➥ For Dentate Patients (with natural teeth)

1. Maintain a good oral health

Dry mouth can lead to bad breath and patients are usually advised to practice good oral hygiene. It usually includes brushing their teeth twice a day. First thing in the morning and last at night.

2. Change toothpaste

Dry mouth patients should use high fluoride toothpaste to prevent tooth decay. They must compensate for the lack of salivary fluoride content and will help you avoid gum disease as well.

Concentrations of fluoride in ‘standard’ kinds of toothpaste vary from 500 parts per million (ppm) to 1,000ppm. Occasionally, even higher. ‘Prescribed’ toothpaste contains fluoride concentrations of between 2,800ppm and 5,000 ppm. Many studies show that protection from cavities is increased with the use of higher fluoride content toothpaste.

3. Avoid alcohol and sugars

Avoid the use of alcohol-containing mouthwashes, fizzy drinks with high sugar content, and frequent snacking.

4. Regular check-ups at the dentist

Patients diagnosed with dry mouth need regular dental appointments. Prevention may include high-concentration fluoride mouthwash and high-fluoride content toothpaste.

5. Check your diet

• Dietary advice for dry mouth patients should understand the avoidance of dietary sugars. Especially sugar-containing snacks. To counteract the risk of developing cavities and the need to limit the use of acidic drinks and foods. 
• Avoid lemon juice, orange juice, soft drinks, apple juice, grape juice, soft drinks, etc.
• Dry mouth patients should also avoid highly spiced foods.

➥ For Edentulous Patients (using dentures):

It can be improved and maintained by:

1. Precise Denture Hygiene

Patients should rinse their dentures and mouth on several occasions throughout the day. Especially after meals. They should leave their dentures out for at least part of the day, preferably overnight.

2. Saliva Substitutes

The treatment of oral dryness is to conserve, stimulate, and replace saliva in the mouth. If the symptoms are mild, sipping water or chewing sugar-free gum may relieve the discomfort.

Moderate-to-severe dryness is usually managed with commercially available saliva substitutes. Saliva substitutes are usually in the form of oral sprays, gels, and rinses.

3. Saliva Excitants

Sugar-free gum is also recommended for the care of dry mouth. The mechanical action of chewing swallowing results in stimulating saliva production. 

There is some evidence that the non-sugar sweetener like xylitol may have a role in cavities and caries prevention. Several salivary stimulants are available in the market.

Pilocarpine hydrochloride and Cevimeline are medications that act to stimulate the secretion of saliva. 

These medications are worthwhile for the treatment of dry mouth and eyes. Random trials provided evidence of the efficiency of such medications. Some improved symptoms and showed an increase in salivary flow in dry mouth patients.

Yet, there are some contraindications to these medications, especially pilocarpine hydrochloride. Studies included irritable bowel syndrome, cardiac disease, and asthma. Side effects are usually common and dose-dependent.

These include sweating, palpitations, and flushing. It is not suitable for every patient. It can take up to 12 weeks to see a medical and therapeutic benefit. Some patients might not find this beneficial. Talk to your doctor before using any of these medications.