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Dry Or Burning Mouth? Causes And Possible Treatments For These Problems

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If you wake up and feel like your mouth is on fire, or that your mouth is so dry you can hardly swallow, this could be due to many things. Below is some information about each of these, as well as the possible treatments to help you.

Dry Mouth

A decreased amount of saliva in your mouth causes dry mouth (xerostomia). This is generally due to a problem with the salivary glands in your mouth.

There are many things that can cause a problem with your salivary glands including:

  • Over the counter medications
  • Prescription medications
  • Hormonal imbalance
  • Diabetes
  • Chemotherapy

It is important that you take very good care of your teeth if you have dry mouth. Saliva washes away food, sugary drinks, and more from your teeth. If you do not have enough saliva, plaque can build up much quicker, which means you will have a higher risk of developing cavities.

If you have this problem, make sure you brush and floss your teeth twice a day, and you see your dentist regularly. Drinking water can help. Chewing on sugar free gum can help produce saliva. Your dentist can give you more information about this problem.

Burning Mouth

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is having a burning or tingling sensation that is often felt on the tongue or other areas of your mouth. One thing that can cause BMS is by having dentures that do not fit properly. If so, there is extra pressure on the muscles and tissues in your mouth. You may also be allergic to your dentures. If you wear dentures, make an appointment with your dentist to see if this is the cause.

There are other oral problems that can cause BMS, such as oral thrush and yeast infection in the mouth.

BMS may last a few minutes, a few days, or much longer. There are many treatment options for BMS. First, if the cause is known, then getting that problem treated should stop this problem. If the dentist is not able to find the cause of this problem, they may recommend that you stop drinking acidic drinks and alcohol, and quit smoking. The dentist can prescribe medications to help with pain. They will likely tell you to drink more water to help relieve the symptoms.

If you wake up in severe pain from burning mouth, call your dentist. They will likely offer to meet you at their office to help alleviate the pain.

Either of these problems can greatly affect your life, so make sure you see your dentist so you can get the help that you need. Visit a clinic, such as the Family Dentistry Of Brick, PA, for more information. 


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