This article was medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS. Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.
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Having too little saliva can make your mouth uncomfortable and can cause dental problems, as saliva actually works to protect your teeth. If you don't produce enough saliva naturally, there are a variety of ways you can increase your production. Using common foods and household goods is often the easiest way to produce more saliva. However, if saliva production is extremely low and nothing you do seems to work, you can also get medical treatment for the problem.[1]
Steps
Chew some gum. One of the quickest and easiest ways to produce more saliva is to pop a stick of gum in your mouth and chew it. The chewing action tells your body that you are eating and that you need saliva to process your food.[2]- It's a good idea to chew sugar-free gum if you have a problem producing saliva. The health of your teeth is already at risk from not having enough saliva, so introducing a bunch of sugar into your mouth potentially adds to the problem.
- Xylitol sweetened gum or candy is a good option that will help you avoid cavities.[3]
Suck on a lozenge, hard candy, mint, or sucker. Sucking on something that is a bit tart or sweet can cause your salivary glands to kick into action. However, consider using something sugar free, such as sugar free mints, so that you do not damage your teeth.[4]- Try choosing a sucker, candy, or lozenge that is a bit tart. The tartness will stimulate the glands really well.
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Stay hydrated. When fighting off dry mouth, it's important to keep enough moisture in your body. Drink water throughout the day so that your system is hydrated, your mouth stays moist, and mucus in your mouth is loosened.[5]
Drink a beverage. One way to moisturize your mouth immediately is to drink something. Drinking things physically moisturizes the mouth but it also kick starts saliva production.[6]- Don't pick a beverage that contains alcohol or caffeine. These can both inhibit saliva production.
Eat foods that stimulate saliva production. There are a variety of foods that are good at stimulating salivary glands to start producing saliva. This is due to their texture, sugar content, acidity, or bitterness. They include:[7]- Apples
- Hard cheeses
- Crunchy vegetables
- Citrus
- Bitter greens
Use an apple cider vinegar mouthwash. It’s a home remedy that can help with saliva production is a simple combination of apple cider vinegar and water. Put a tablespoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Swish a mouth full of the mixture in your mouth and then spit it out after about a minute.[8]- This remedy is a mouthwash, breath freshener, and a mouth moisturizer all in one.
Use over-the-counter artificial saliva. There are a variety of products available at most pharmacies that can be used to eliminate dry mouth. They are put in the mouth at regular intervals to moisten the mouth and stimulate saliva production.[9]- These products come in a variety of forms. They can be a spray, gel, or mouth rinse.
Reduce snoring and sleeping with an open mouth. One common cause of dry mouth and limited saliva is sleeping with your mouth open and snoring. To minimize dry mouth in the mornings and keep your level of saliva normal, change your sleeping position, open your nasal airway, and implement other lifestyle changes that make breathing easier.- Open mouth breathing and snoring while sleeping pulls air across your mouth, reducing the amount of moisture that remains.
- If simple lifestyle changes and a new sleeping position don't help, contact a doctor to help you find other solutions.[10]
Discuss ongoing problems with your doctor. If you are having trouble with dry mouth you should talk to your doctor about possible causes and treatments. It's important to have enough saliva, so if home remedies and such are not working, get medical care for the problem.
Avoid medications that cause dry mouth. If you are taking a medication that causes dry mouth, talk to your doctor about alternatives. There may be another medication for your condition that won't cause the side effect of dry mouth.- There are hundreds of medications that are known to cause dry mouth, including very common ones like benadryl, acetaminophen and claritin.[11]
Manage any underlying medical problems. In many cases, dry mouth that is serious enough to get medical care is related to a medical issue. It could be the side effect of medical treatment or caused by a medical problem.[12]
Take medication to increase saliva production. If your saliva production is especially low, your doctor may prescribe a medication that will increase it. There are several drugs that the doctor may prescribe, depending on your symptoms and any underlying health problems.[13]- Salagen is commonly prescribed to help with low saliva production.
- Evoxac is a medication that is used to increase saliva production for those that have Sjögren's syndrome, which is a disease that causes dry eyes, mouth, and skin.
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/taking-care-your-teeth-and-mouth
- ↑ https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/taking-care-your-teeth-and-mouth
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5320817/
- ↑ https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/taking-care-your-teeth-and-mouth
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10902-dry-mouth-treatments
- ↑ https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/taking-care-your-teeth-and-mouth
- ↑ https://www.fortlauderdaledentistry.com/2016/07/7-foods-that-improve-saliva-production/
- ↑ https://www.fortlauderdaledentistry.com/2016/07/7-foods-that-improve-saliva-production/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10902-dry-mouth-treatments
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/snoring-solutions
- ↑ http://wsdha.com/clientuploads/pdfs/Public%20Info/Seniors/DryMouthMedications.pdf
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10902-dry-mouth-treatments
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10902-dry-mouth-treatments
About This Article
Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
If your mouth is dry and you want to produce more saliva, chew a piece of sugar-free gum. The chewing action will tell your body that you are eating and will cause you to produce more saliva. You could also suck on a piece of hard candy that is tart, sweet, or minty, or you could rinse out your mouth with mouthwash or apple cider vinegar. Sometimes a dry mouth can be caused by dehydration, so make sure you are drinking 2-3 liters of water every day. Read on to learn tips from our medical reviewer on how you can use artificial saliva to treat a dry mouth!
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