We sleep for about one-third of our lives. While we sleep, our bodies work hard to heal, clean up, and get ready for the next day.
But many of us also feel like our mouths are dry at night. The mouth and throat feel dry and parched when we wake up.
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People often have a dry mouth, especially those over 65. As we get older, we tend to make as much as 40% less spit. It’s more than just uncomfortable, annoying, or upsetting. Dry mouth can hurt our oral health and well-being in big ways.
Saliva is the only thing that can stop the acids produced by bacteria that cause tooth decay. Saliva gives us the first enzymes we need to break down our food. Bottom line? Dry lips are more than just a bother. It can hurt our whole bodies.
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There are two main things going on here.
The first is a health problem called xerostomia. This is when our mouths don’t have enough saliva. Saliva makes it hard to chew, taste, and swallow our food. Even talking can be hard sometimes. Anyone who has ever had a dry mouth when speaking in front of a crowd can tell you how hard it is!
When our salivary glands don’t make enough saliva, we can have a dry mouth. Sometimes this means that our bodies aren’t getting enough water and don’t have enough juice to make saliva. If this is true, drinking enough water can help.
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If you use mouthwash before bed, don’t use one that has alcohol in it. Mouthwashes with alcohol tend to dry out the tissues in your mouth.
Dry mouth can be a side effect of some medicines, a side effect of radiation therapy, a side effect of smoking, or even a symptom of a disease like diabetes or Parkinson’s.
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When we breathe through our mouths instead of our noses, we often wake up with a dry, sore throat. When we sleep, our mouths often fall open, which lets us breathe through our mouths.
A stuffy nose, an illness, or a problem with the body’s structure can all contribute to mouth breathing. If your nose is blocked, your body will immediately use your mouth as the only other way to get oxygen.
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If your adenoids or lungs are big or if your septum is crooked, you might breathe through your mouth.
For people with sleep apnea, sleeping with their mouth open can become a habit. Mouth breathing can make your blood less oxygenated, which can lead to high blood pressure and heart failure. It can also make your gum disease and bad odour worse.
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If you sleep with your mouth open, here are two things you could try:
Nasal Strips: You put these sticky strips on your nose. Nasal strips are made of soft, springy bands that you put on your nose right above where your sinuses flare out. They make it easier to breathe by making the airways a little bit bigger.
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Mouth Taping: It may be as easy as buying a roll of surgical tape from the drugstore to get a better night’s sleep and the health benefits that come with it. Put a piece over your lips before you go to sleep at night. If you need to get it off quickly, fold back a small flap on one or both sides.
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If you have dry mouth, talk to a doctor about it and find a way to fix this common health problem. Not only does it hurt your teeth and gums, but it can also make it hard to sleep and hurt your health and well-being as a whole.