Dry Mouth

What it is: Dry mouth occurs when there is insufficient saliva to keep the inside of your mouth comfortably moist. It is a common symptom that is rarely serious and often improves with simple home habits.

Common causes:

• Mild dehydration from not drinking enough water, sweating, or illness.
• Breathing through your mouth while sleeping, often due to a blocked nose.
• Side effects of certain prescription medications, stress, or cancer treatments like chemotherapy.

Self-care:

• Sip cold water frequently during the day and keep a glass beside your bed at night.
• Use sugar-free gum or lozenges to help stimulate saliva, and apply lip balm for dry lips.
• Gently brush your teeth twice daily using alcohol-free mouthwash, while cutting back on alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, and smoking.

When to seek help: Visit your nearest health post, PHC, or hospital if your mouth stays dry for several weeks, makes eating or talking difficult, or occurs alongside white patches, mouth pain, dry eyes, or frequent urination. Seek immediate emergency care or call 102 if dry mouth appears with severe watery diarrhoea, persistent vomiting, or extreme dizziness.

If symptoms suggest a serious emergency, call 102 for an ambulance where available.