Question
For over a year, I’ve been experiencing dry mouth upon waking up in the morning, followed by a feeling of fullness in my stomach after meals, even with small portions. It seems as though drinking water doesn’t help, and I don’t feel hungry. Eating dinner with a little congee and some vegetables makes me feel full, and I don’t even want to drink milk. Yet, I’m not inactive; I’ve been trying to find something to do, but nothing seems to work. I would like to inquire about the causes and solutions for dry mouth.
Answer
Dry mouth is not a standalone disease, and there aren’t many detailed reports on this issue. Dry mouth is an discomfort that many people experience at certain periods, particularly common in the elderly, and severe dry mouth can even affect speech and eating. Here are some possible causes of dry mouth:
- Physiological Dry Mouth: This usually relates to insufficient water intake, eating salty foods, intense exercise, or excessive sweating. Additionally, menopausal changes, stress, and anxiety can also lead to dry mouth. Normally, the oral mucosal glands of the elderly will atrophy, leading to reduced saliva production and varying degrees of dry mouth.
- Pathological Dry Mouth: Dry mouth may occur after a cold, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. Patients with rhinitis, sinusitis, or deviated nasal septum may experience dry mouth due to the need for mouth breathing, which causes easy evaporation of moisture in the oral cavity. Asthmatic patients may also experience dry mouth due to increased respiratory rate and depth, leading to excessive water evaporation from the respiratory tract. Sleep apnea patients often wake up with dry mouth because of mouth breathing during the night. Diabetics may experience dry mouth and thirst due to elevated blood glucose levels causing increased plasma osmolality and polyuria. Certain endocrine disorders…