Constant thirst and dry mouth are the result of a decrease in the moisture of the oral mucosa. It is the result of many reasons - physiological or pathological. In this case, the work of the oral glands (salivary) is disrupted. They may produce saliva that is too viscous or small.
Dry mouth is called xerostomia. It implies dryness of any origin. 10% of the world's inhabitants suffer from it, women are much more often than men. In the elderly, this number reaches about 25%. This is due to the fact that the elderly take a large number of different drugs because of the bouquet of diseases characteristic of this age. Concomitant with this is an age-related decrease in the activity of the glands themselves.
Saliva functions
Normally, adult healthy glands produce about 2 L of saliva. This is invisible, because it is constantly swallowed. There are 3 pairs of the largest salivary glands - submandibular, sublingual and parotid. All of them have their excretory ducts in the oral cavity. There are many small salivary glands in the mouth, but they produce little saliva.
Saliva constantly moisturizes the oral mucosa, which protects it from cracks, erosion and ulcers. In addition, it contains lysozyme - a bactericidal element of saliva, as well as ready-made antibodies to infections.
Saliva includes water, mineral salts, and enzymes to process carbohydrates already in the oral cavity. There are also other enzymes for wetting the food lump and its formation with further swallowing.
Taste sensations are formed with the help of saliva. Salivation also neutralizes lactic acid, which is released by bacteria during tooth decay and protects teeth.
Calcium ions are also found in saliva and protect teeth from decay, since they take an active part in the remineralization of enamel. For clarity of diction, saliva is also needed.
The consequences of a lack of saliva are not only constant dryness in the oral cavity and difficulty in chewing food. Xerostomia at different times can cause caries, candidiasis and stomatitis, a change in taste and halitosis due to the multiplication of bacteria. The body reacts to this with a decrease in immunity.
Xerostomia may be a manifestation of a pathology or some temporary condition due to provoking factors.
Dry mouth disrupts the taste buds and the taste of the products seems altered, can cause hoarseness, cracks in the corners of the mouth, increased urination, burning, redness of the tongue and lips. Permanent viscosity in the mouth markedly impairs diction.
Etiology of the phenomenon
The most common cause is the use of certain drugs, which, among their side effects, causes a decrease in saliva production. Because of this, a constant feeling of thirst and dry mouth is most often found among pensioners.
Preparations of this property include:
- hypotensive and hypoglycemic;
- steroid inhalers, antipsychotics and antidepressants;
- antihistamines;
- diuretics;
- anti-inflammatory non-steroids; eutirox;
- anticoagulants.
This is especially pronounced if 2 different drugs are taken in 1 dose.
Complaints of severe dry mouth and constant thirst do not always make it necessary for the doctor to thoroughly investigate the cause. This is difficult to diagnose and indicates a poor quality of care.
The doctor most often makes a mark in the card of such a patient: xerostomy of unclear etiology. For examination and identification of causes, it is better to contact large clinics.
Also, a cause of constant thirst and dry mouth can be a violation of the cortical functions of the brain, these are:
- strokes and micro strokes;
- Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease;
- pathology of the trigeminal nerve.
The fact is that with these pathologies, signals to the peripheral nervous system to the salivary glands either do not arrive or are transmitted intermittently. Gland dysfunction occurs, a constant feeling of thirst in the mouth and dryness.
Dry without thirst
Quite a common occurrence, because its main cause is hypotension. Hypotensives feel cephalgia in the neck and temples, weakness, rapid fatigue already 2 hours after the morning rise, especially with a sharp rise from a horizontal position, dry mouth without thirst in the morning.
Often, such people do not feel any symptoms at all, and this is the norm. But in any case, hypotension causes a deterioration in blood flow, which cannot but worsen the functioning of the body.
Constant dry mouth without thirst with supplements in the form of belching, nausea, flatulence, diarrhea and pulling pains in the left hypochondrium is a sign of pancreatitis. Such a disease is sometimes manifested only by dryness. To confirm the diagnosis, you must consult a doctor.
In menopausal women, the cause of dry mouth without thirst is menopause. Disruption of the hormonal background with a stop in the synthesis of estrogen affects the work of all body systems. It develops, among other things, dry mucous membranes and the oral cavity is also exposed to this.
Other diseases with this symptom include:
- epiparotitis;
- Mikulich's disease (a symmetrical increase in the salivary and lacrimal glands of a reactive nature);
- sialadenitis (inflammation of the salivary glands);
- sialostasis (delayed salivation);
- sialolithiasis (growths in the ducts of the glands);
- Sjogren's disease.
Inhalation of air with harmful impurities can also dry the oral mucosa.
Dry night
This symptom is not only unpleasant in itself, but also disrupts sleep. Irritability and a decrease in attention, cephalgia, and fatigue appear. The most common causes of a constant feeling of thirst and dry mouth at night are a mucus-clogged nose with SARS.
It is characteristic of rhinitis, allergies, sinusitis, nose deformities, due to physical factors.
This combination can be a sign of anemia, tumors (lymphoma), leukemia, a consequence of HIV, concussion, blood infections. At night, dry mouth can be due to a large amount of protein food - milk, meat, beans - because it needs a large amount of water to digest and break it down. To avoid this, dinner should be easy.
Another common and simple reason is sleep with an open mouth. It is characteristic of snoring people. A working air conditioner also significantly dries the air in the room, so humidifiers for air are needed.
Bitterness and dry mouth
If, in addition to dryness, a person feels bitterness in his mouth all the time, these can be only 2 pathologies - diseases of the liver and gall bladder. Disruptions in the functioning of these organs lead to the release of bile and absorption of decay products into the blood, from where they enter the salivary glands. This provokes bitterness.
Bitterness with sour belching and bad breath are pancreatitis. Such symptoms can lead to a stomach ulcer, gastritis.
Dry mouth and tongue burning
With dehydration of the oral cavity, a burning sensation of the tongue, gums, palate, and the inside of the cheeks may occur. This is what is called: burning tongue syndrome or glossodynia. Most likely, this is the result of the release of gastric juice into the esophagus.
Burning can occur when:
- allergies, spicy foods, the use of toothpaste with lauryl sulfite;
- poor-quality dentures, braces and fillings;
- oral candidiasis;
- cancer treatment;
- deficiency of vitamin B6, zinc and iron; aphthous stomatitis;
- the use of antibiotics and antipsychotics;
- amenorrhea;
- frequent use of black tea and coffee throughout the day.
Dry morning
In the morning, dry mouth may be due to insufficient production of saliva or its increased viscosity. Then dryness is not excluded at night.
Dry mouth in the morning is observed with colds, adenoids, tonsillitis. Smokers know very well about dry mouth in the morning every day.
Reasons for constant thirst
The reason for constant thirst and dry mouth can be very simple and banal: excess insolation, the use of a large number of smoked and pickled foods. However, more often this is associated with a pathology such as diabetes. The disease is very dangerous for its consequences.
The appearance of a symptom of thirst and dry mouth is usually the main symptom of diabetes. Moreover, this thirst is insatiable, which makes the patient drink more than 3 liters per day, but this also does not help. Diabetics complain of a special thirst, they call it chemical, unnatural - so it is strong.
Against the background of this constant symptom, there is another one - frequent urination against the background of constant intense thirst and dry mouth. An increase in urine production occurs under the influence of hyperglycemia.
Among other signs: cracks and jams in the corners of the mouth, weakness, weight changes in any direction, increased appetite, craving for sweets, itching and pustules on the skin.
In men - balanoposthitis, impotence. The peculiarity of polydipsia in diabetes is that it is insatiable and does not depend on the time of day or ambient temperature. The triad of symptoms - severe thirst, dry mouth and frequent urination - is always present with diabetes.
Dryness and pregnancy
In pregnant women, normally, dry mouth should not occur, since the future mother's body produces saliva, and so on in increased amounts. Signs of constant thirst and dry mouth during pregnancy can only be in the hot season with dry air.
A normal feeling of thirst during gestation can be noted in the later stages, because the volume of urine excreted is increased. This leads to some dehydration and dry mouth. If the pregnant woman not only has a strong thirst, dry mouth and frequent urination, this may indicate the development of gestational diabetes. Additionally there is a metallic sour taste. The disease requires treatment.
Another reason for constant thirst and dry mouth in a pregnant woman may be a deficiency in the body of potassium on the background of excess magnesium. Then prescribe mineral complexes to solve the problem.
A variety of diseases and conditions with dry mouth
- HIV / AIDS, oncological diseases provoke atrophy of the salivary glands.
- Arthritis (rheumatoid), strokes and heart attacks increase sweating, which causes dehydration and dry mucous membranes.
- Hypovitaminosis Vit. A - causes dry skin, hair and mucous membranes. Retinol deficiency causes severe damage to the epithelium. Its regeneration is broken and atrophy develops. Such an epithelium is desquamated and clogs up the ducts of the excretory ducts of the salivary glands, where cysts can also form due to this. And although the gland tissue is normal, saliva production slows down.
- Increased fluid loss occurs with bleeding, burns, fever, diarrhea and vomiting, for example, with acute respiratory infections or hyperhidrosis.
- With inflammation, neck, head injuries, oncological processes, salivary glands can be removed.
- Damage to the glossopharyngeal and facial nerve or their nuclei in the medulla oblongata disrupts salivation.
- Stress and excitement, high psycho-emotional stress can sometimes also dry the oral mucosa.
Systemic pathology
- Scleroderma - manifested by progressive fibrosis of the skin, internal organs (heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys), vascular damage as obliterating endarteritis with a decrease in their clearance due to muscle spasms. It affects not only the skin, but also the mucous membranes, then the tongue thickens, its bridle is shortened and the mucous membrane of the mouth is dried. Scleroderma is often combined with Sjogren's syndrome.
- Sjogren's disease is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by dryness of all mucous membranes due to lymphoid proliferation of exogenous glands (especially salivary and lacrimal).
- Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease in which all exocrine glands are affected. Then the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract and others are affected. The disease manifests itself in the first month of life. Such children have a good appetite, but no weight gain. They begin to suffer from viscosity of saliva, shortness of breath and cyanosis, attacks of dry cough.
Principles of Therapy
Treatment should be comprehensive, selected after the exact establishment of the cause of the disease. In addition, it should be accompanied by smoking cessation. If the medications taken are to blame for dryness, perhaps the dose should be reduced.
Do not overfill food. Alcohol-containing rinse aid is best avoided. For dental problems, the dentist may prescribe artificial saliva substitutes.
Frequent Concomitant Symptoms of Dryness
Concomitant symptoms of constant thirst, dry mouth and causes:
- Weakness. When the oral cavity dries, a person quickly begins to feel constant weakness without any hint of vigor. This may be due to viral infection, external intoxication; manifestation of anemia; oncology; diseases of the central nervous system. Weakness is an early sign of many diseases. Especially if it is combined with dry mouth.
- Nausea. Dry mouth and nausea with thirst are often combined. Usually occur in acute respiratory infections and food poisoning. Manifest first in the clinical picture. But it can be just an error in nutrition - for example, after a strict diet, a person suddenly decided to arrange a feast of the abdomen.
- Dry lips. It occurs with an increase in the size of the excretory ducts of the salivary glands that border the lips. The lower lip becomes weathered, dry and flaky. In the corners of the mouth jams and cracks appear. In chronic cheilitis, the process can be malignant.
- Plaque on the tongue. Dry mouth and persistent plaque on the tongue are associated with gastritis, colitis, stomach ulcers, duodenum. Plaque on the tongue can be white - with pathologies of the stomach; yellow - with cholecystitis and hepatitis, pancreatitis.
- Red tongue and sore tonsils are nasopharyngeal infections. If the tongue burns, there is a metallic taste in the mouth - gum disease or caries. If acute abdominal pains or cramps join, you can suspect an acute abdomen or pancreatitis. It is better to consult a surgeon.
- Bitterness in the mouth. The combination of dryness with bitterness in the mouth - clearly indicates the pathology of the biliary system, as already mentioned.
- Severe dizziness and dry mouth indicate cerebrovascular accidents. This may be a brain disease in the initial stage or an intoxication of the body.
- Frequent urination. It accompanies polydipsia, sweating, and persistent dry mouth — all signs of diabetes. The fact is that hyperglycemia increases the osmotic pressure, which attracts and retains water inside the vessels. The mucous membranes begin to dry, they give fluid to the blood. Hence the constant thirst. There is a vicious circle - polydipsia causes frequent urination, sweating, which causes thirst again.
Independent actions
If the dryness of the tongue is associated only with physiology, living conditions can be changed: the bedroom should be cool, use a fan or air conditioning for this.
It is important to observe the water-drinking regimen - at least 2 liters of water per day. Natural juices and herbal teas are useful - with chamomile, mint, lemon balm - they have a sedative and anti-inflammatory effect.
According to elderly patients, mint copes with bad breath. Sugar-free chewing gum will remove bitterness in your mouth. From juices it is good to drink apple, orange, lemon, cranberry. They increase immunity and increase saliva production. Food should be balanced - you should exclude salty and sweet foods, especially in the form of nighttime snacks.
Both doctors and patients in the reviews note that hot pepper in food enhances the production of saliva. To quench your thirst and dryness in the morning, you can keep ready at the bedside a glass of water with lemon juice or herbal tea.
Before going to bed, you can suck on a sugar-free candy or hold a piece of ice in your mouth. Also, many patients are advised to rinse their mouth for 10 minutes with olive, sea buckthorn or other vegetable oil. You should choose high-quality toothpaste and rinse aid.