Dry Mouth

To minimize your dry mouth condition:

1. Drink water frequently to keep your mouth moist and loosen mucus. Carry water with you to sip throughout the day and keep water by your bed at night.
2. Suck on sugar-free hard candies, ice chips, or sugar-free popsicles. Chew sugarless gum (gums containing the sugar xylitol). These sucking and chewing actions help stimulate saliva flow.
3. Moisten foods with broths, soups, sauces, gravy, creams, and butter or margarine. Eat soft, moist foods that are cool or at room temperature.
4. Avoid commercial mouth rinses or mouthwashes that contain alcohol or peroxide. These ingredients will further dry out your mouth.
5. Avoid salty foods, dry foods (for example, crackers, toast, cookies, dry breads, dry meats/poultry/fish, dried fruit, bananas) and foods and beverages with high sugar content.
6. Avoid drinks containing alcohol or caffeine (for example, coffees, teas, some colas, chocolate-containing drinks). Alcohol increases water loss by triggering frequent urination. Alcohol, as well as caffeine, also dries out the mouth. Also avoid acidic beverages, such as any fruit juices (orange, apple, grape, grapefruit) and tomato juice.
7. Minimize your intake of spicy or salty foods as these may cause pain in a dry mouth.
8. Quit smoking.
9. Use a moisturizer on your lips to minimize irritation.
10. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush on your teeth and gums; rinse your mouth before and after meals with plain water or a mild mouth rinse (made with 8 ounces of water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking soda). Brush with a fluoride-containing toothpaste.
11. Use a humidifier to increase the humidity in your home, especially at night.