why do I wake up with a dry mouth

Exercise Daily – Are you someone who thinks, “why do I wake up with a dry mouth” after waking up? If so, then it may or may not be a cause of a health problem.

If you wake up with a dry mouth occasionally, then you don’t need to worry about it. However, if you wake up with a dry mouth every day, then it may be because of xerostomia (inadequate saliva production). 

Additionally, waking up with a dry mouth can be one of the side effects of medicines you take before going to sleep. However, we are going to discuss in detail why you wake up with a dry mouth.

What Actually Is Dry Mouth?

Xerostomia (sometimes known as dry mouth, which is much simpler to say) is a medical disorder that affects the mouth. It has an effect on the salivary glands in your mouth, causing you to be unable to generate the saliva necessary to keep your mouth wet at all times. 

In order to neutralize the acids generated by bacteria, it is critical to keep the mouth wet. Saliva serves to prevent bacteria development by washing away food particles, ensuring that germs do not have the chance to grow in your mouth and throat.

Watch this video to know more about waking up with a dry mouth:

Why Do I Wake Up With A Dry Mouth – 5 Reasons

There are a handful of factors that contribute to a dry mouth in the morning after waking up. One reason for this is that the body naturally generates less saliva at night than it does during the day. 

Because of this, saliva production that occurs throughout the day decreases even further at night.

Yet another factor is that people have a tendency to breathe more deeply through their mouths during the night. The air that is drawn in and out of the mouth dries out the mouth naturally, making it even drier.

As a result, all of these factors come together to make your mouth dry. When your mouth starts to feel dry throughout the day, you are awake and conscious of the situation. 

In order to avoid having a dry mouth when awake, you should make an additional effort to drink more water during the day. 

While you’re sleeping, on the other hand, you won’t notice how dry your mouth is becoming until it becomes so dry that it wakes you up or until you wake up in the morning and notice that it has become significantly dry.

Here are five reasons why do I wake up with a dry mouth:

Dehydration

When it comes to dry mouth, dehydration is the most prevalent reason. Because it’s so simple to fix, though, it’s also the most common. 

Having a dry mouth is likely to occur if you are not drinking enough water and are consequently dehydrated. All you have to do now is drink more water, and you should start feeling better right away.

Dry skin, reduced skin turgor, and impaired concentration are some of the signs and symptoms of dehydration. Other signs and symptoms include dark-colored urine, reduced urination, headaches, tiredness, and dry skin.

Drink plenty of water or other fluids every day to ensure that you are getting sufficient water.
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Breathing Through Mouth

Do you find yourself waking up with your mouth open? It’s possible that this is what’s causing your dry mouth. Another typical reason for hyposalivation is the practice of taking deep breaths via the mouth, especially while you’re asleep. 

If you happen to be a member of this class, it is recommended that you adjust your habit or discover the reason why you find it more comfortable to breathe through your mouth.

It is common for oral tissues to dry up when sleeping with your mouth open, especially those tissues that are closest to your lips. So, now you know why do I wake up with a dry mouth.

When you’re congested, it’s extremely common to breathe through your mouth. When you have a stuffy nose, it is difficult to breathe through your nostrils, so you compensate by inhaling through your mouth.
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Cancer Treatment

Chemotherapy medications have the potential to decrease saliva production and quality, resulting in dry mouth. It’s possible that this is only a temporary problem and that your saliva production will return to normal after the therapy is completed.

If you have radiation treatments to the head and neck, it is possible that your salivary glands will be damaged, resulting in a reduction in the amount of saliva produced in your mouth. 

Depending on the region and the amount of treatment administered, this might be temporary or permanent.

Autoimmune Disease

Try drinking extra water to alleviate your dry mouth, but if the problem persists, you may have an underlying medical condition. 

Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune condition in which the body targets the glands that produce tears and saliva, is the most probable medical explanation for the condition. 

According to the National Institutes of Health, dry eyes and dry mouth are the two most prevalent symptoms of this condition.

In addition, several other autoimmune illnesses might impair the development of salivary glands, causing the mouth to feel extremely dry. So, this can be a reason you might be thinking, why do I wake up with a dry mouth.

Sjogren’s syndrome is frequently associated with other autoimmune illnesses such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, so if you have one of those conditions and notice that your mouth is becoming excessively dry. 

It is possible that your doctor will recommend that you chew sugar-free gum, suck on lozenges, or use artificial saliva rinse or spray that is available over the market, or that he or she will give you a prescription for a medicine that enhances natural saliva production.

Aging

Your chances of experiencing dry mouth increase as you get older. Your chances of having this condition are 30 percent among persons over the age of 65 and over 40 percent among adults over the age of 80.

It is possible that aging is not the root cause of dry mouth. It’s possible that the drugs you’re taking to control other health concerns are causing your dry mouth.

Diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease are just a few of the illnesses that can cause dry mouth.

Why Do I Wake Up With A Dry Mouth – Treatment

why do I wake up with a dry mouth

The following are some of the effective home remedies that can help you prevent a dry mouth in the morning:

Drink More Water

Dry mouth can, of course, be caused by a simple case of dehydration, which is common sense to expect in such situations. You should take precautions to ensure that you’re getting enough water on a regular basis as a result of these conditions.

According to the latest research, individuals should drink around eight glasses of water every day. If you adopt this practice and maintain it, you may discover that dry mouth is no longer a problem for you in the future. 

Dehydration is a very preventable cause of dry mouth at night, and it should be avoided at all costs.

Chew Sugar-free Gums

Because your body may be unable to create enough saliva, as previously said, it is conceivable that you will experience a dry mouth in the morning. As a result, you should consider taking steps to increase your saliva production on a regular basis.

One method of accomplishing this is to chew sugar-free gum throughout the day on a regular basis. 

You may even buy sugarless hard candies to chew on while you’re out shopping. Your mouth may learn to produce more saliva as a result of this, which may help to avoid dry mouth in the future.

Chewing sugar-free gums can prevent you from thinking, why do I wake up with a dry mouth.
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Make Use of Tape

The most effective method of preventing mouth breathing at night is to use strips that tape your lips together every night. But don’t be concerned. The high-quality adhesive strips that are readily accessible on the market are non-toxic and simple to apply.

Having your lips taped shut before going to sleep is acceptable if you feel a little ridiculous about the whole thing. 

At the same time, you’re doing a huge favor for yourself by doing so. It is more restful to force yourself to sleep while breathing through your nose since it allows you to sleep deeper and avoid dry mouth in the morning.
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Why Do I Wake Up With A Dry Mouth – FAQs

How can I stop waking up with a dry mouth?

The best way to stop waking up with a dry mouth is by drinking more water, avoiding smoking, chewing on sugar-free gums, and improving overall oral hygiene.

Is dry mouth serious?

When it comes to itself, dry mouth is not a life-threatening medical problem. It is, on the other hand, occasionally an indication of some underlying problem that needs medical attention. 

It can also lead to issues such as tooth decay and mouth sores if not treated promptly.

What causes dry mouth at night while sleeping?

Dry mouth can be caused by a variety of factors, the most common of which being is sleeping with your mouth open or snoring. 

The medical word for this condition is xerostomia. It is also possible that emotional variables, such as stress and the negative effects of some drugs, have a role.

When should I be concerned about a dry mouth?

It’s natural to have a dry mouth from time to time if you’re dehydrated or worried, but having a constantly dry mouth might be an indication of a more serious condition. 

If you have an unusually dry mouth (also known as xerostomia), you should see your dentist or general practitioner so that they can try to discover the cause. Mostly, xerostomia is a cause behind why do I wake up with a dry mouth.

Is dry mouth a symptom of diabetes?

Dry mouth is one of the most prevalent signs and symptoms of diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are both associated with dry mouth, which is a typical symptom in both conditions. 

However, it is not something that everyone with diabetes will experience. If you do not have diabetes, you might still experience a dry mouth.

Conclusion

Dry mouth is a common event when you get up in the morning, but when it becomes persistent, it can cause more than just discomfort. 

It might be a symptom of one of several potentially serious health disorders, or it could be as simple as a side effect of a drug you’re currently taking, depending on the circumstances.

Even though your dry mouth issue is unavoidable, there are steps you may take to minimize its effects. So, it is important to consult your doctor or dentist without reaching a final decision.

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