Understanding Dry Mouth
Dry mouth is more than feeling thirsty. It can seriously affect your teeth and gums. Find out what causes it and how to manage it.
What is dry mouth?
Dry mouth means your mouth does not make enough spit (saliva) to stay moist and comfortable. The medical name is xerostomia.
It affects around 1 in 5 adults in the UK. It becomes more common as you get older.
Saliva matters more than many people think. It:
- Washes food and germs off your teeth
- Cancels out (neutralises) the acids that cause tooth decay
- Has minerals that help repair early damage to enamel
- Helps you taste, chew and swallow food
- Protects the soft lining of your mouth
Without enough saliva, your risk of tooth decay, gum disease and mouth infections goes up a lot.
What causes dry mouth?
There are many possible causes:
- Medicines. This is the most common cause. Over 500 medicines are known to reduce saliva. These include antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure tablets, water tablets (diuretics) and many others.
- Health conditions. Sjogren's syndrome (an autoimmune condition) attacks the saliva glands. Diabetes, anxiety and Parkinson's disease can also play a part.
- Cancer treatment. Radiotherapy to the head and neck can damage saliva glands for good. Chemotherapy can cause dry mouth for a while.
- Not enough fluid in your body (dehydration). This can come from not drinking enough, illness, fever or being sick.
- Breathing through your mouth, mostly at night. This dries the mouth out.
- Smoking and alcohol. Both reduce saliva and irritate the inside of your mouth.
Signs and symptoms
Dry mouth can cause many symptoms:
- A sticky, dry feeling in your mouth or throat
- Feeling thirsty often
- Trouble chewing, swallowing or speaking
- A burning or tingling feeling in your mouth or on your tongue
- A dry, rough tongue
- Cracked lips, or sores at the corners of your mouth
- Bad breath that does not get better with brushing
- A change in taste
- More tooth decay than usual. It often shows up in unusual places, such as along the gum line or on the smooth sides of teeth.
How is dry mouth managed?
There is no single treatment for dry mouth. What helps depends on the cause. Your dental team will work with you to find the best approach. Where needed, they will work with your GP or a specialist too.
- Check your medicines. If a medicine is causing dry mouth, your GP may be able to change the dose or switch you to another one. Never stop a prescribed medicine without medical advice.
- Saliva substitutes and sprays. You can buy these or get them on prescription. Products with carboxymethylcellulose or hyaluronic acid can give short-term relief.
- Prescription fluoride. Your dental team can arrange a high-strength fluoride toothpaste or gel. This protects your teeth against the higher risk of decay.
- Medicines that boost saliva. Sometimes a medicine such as pilocarpine (Salagen) can make the saliva glands produce more saliva. A specialist prescribes it. It is not suitable for everyone. People with asthma, some heart conditions or uncontrolled glaucoma must not take it.
- More dental check-ups. You may have check-up and hygiene visits more often, to find decay early.
What you can do at home
These everyday tips can help with dry mouth:
- Sip water often through the day. Keep a bottle with you.
- Suck sugar-free sweets or chew sugar-free gum. This makes more saliva. Look for products with xylitol, which also helps protect teeth.
- Breathe through your nose when you can. If you breathe through your mouth when you sleep, use a humidifier at night.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol and smoking. They all make dry mouth worse.
- Avoid very dry, salty or spicy foods. They can irritate a dry mouth.
- Use a high-fluoride toothpaste and brush gently twice a day. Ask your dental team which one is best for you.
- Try a dry mouth mouthwash. Normal mouthwashes with alcohol can dry your mouth more. Choose an alcohol-free one made for dry mouth.
When to see your dental team
Make an appointment if:
- Dry mouth is affecting your daily life, or your ability to eat and speak
- You are getting more holes in your teeth (cavities) than usual
- You notice white patches or soreness that does not go away. This could be a fungal infection called oral thrush, which is more common with dry mouth.
- Dry mouth started or got worse after you began a new medicine
Your dental team is well placed to deal with the effects of dry mouth on your teeth. They can also work with your GP on your care.
This leaflet is for general information only and does not replace professional dental advice. Your dental team will discuss your individual circumstances and any risks and treatment specific to you. Treatment outcomes vary between patients depending on individual circumstances.
Sources
- Dry mouth. NHS website (nhs.uk), reviewed November 2023.
- Dry mouth. Oral Health Foundation.
- Delivering better oral health: an evidence-based toolkit for prevention, 4th edition. Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, 2021, updated September 2025.
Links checked 18 October 2026.
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