# Dry Mouth

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-mouth/208716>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 21, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-mouth/208716 "2003-10-21T15:25:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![randomlyblanks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@randomlyblanks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomlyblanks)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-mouth/208716/1 "2003-10-21T15:25:35Z")

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Over the past weekend I came down with strep throat and am on penicillin. Today is my fifth day on the antibiotic and for the most part I am feeling better (although every now and then I feel a little feverish, etc). Although this is not my largest problem.

When I sleep its not uncommon to wake up thirsty with a dry mouth. However since I moved into my dorm at college it has been a daily occurrence. This leads me to believe that my dorm may be very dry and that something like a humidifier may help.

The problem is that since I’ve started on the penicillin the dry mouth has been occurring VERY often and not while I am sleeping. When I do fall asleep I will wake up every few hours with a riciulously dry mouth. At some points it even occurs every 5 minutes. I’ve never had this problem before. So my basic question is can strep throat/penicillin cause my salivary glands to shut down? I don’t want to stop my penicillin before my time is up, so I plan on just toughing it out until Sunday. What causes dry mouth and can I do anything to cure it (besides sipping water)?

I know about asking for medical advice on the board, but i’m merely looking for help and suggestions. Should it be an actual problem I will certainly return to my doctor.

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-mouth/208716/2 "2003-10-21T20:34:05Z")

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Well, you can buy something called “artificial saliva” or “saliva substitute”. It’s electrolytes in a slightly viscous solution (sticky, the consistence of spit), sweetened a little with sorbitol. Ask the pharmacist. They sell it for cancer patients, and also because it helps prevent tooth decay–if you have a chronically dry mouth, your saliva isn’t doing its job helping keep your teeth washed down, so artificial saliva helps.

There are a lot of things that can cause dry mouth. Finish the antibiotic and see if it goes away next week.

Not fingering penicillin specifically, but…  
[“…[M]edications are one of the most common factors in cases of dry mouth.”](http://www.dentistry.vcu.edu/departments/opath/labcasex/textfiles/clindxmodules/mod4mhdh.html)