# Is there anything you can do about dry mouth? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 5, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920 "2008-08-05T15:17:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/1 "2008-08-05T15:17:18Z")
I’m taking these allergy pills - it’s a pack with two pills a day, and the night ones are different from the morning ones. It’s the night ones, I believe, that are giving me an awful dry mouth all day (and night) long. I want to give the pills a good long trial, so I don’t want to ask for an alternative just yet. I can do without the night pill but I doubt I’m supposed to. Any suggestions? Does anything _work_ besides drinking a ton of water and having to pee every three exits? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/2 "2008-08-05T15:24:20Z")
We have a friend who had mouth cancer and had a salivary gland removed during the surgery. He drinks a ton of water, but also drinks a kind of “artificial saliva” akin to “artificial tears.” Ask a pharmacist. He says it just tastes like water, but keeps the mucous membranes from drying out. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/3 "2008-08-05T15:28:27Z")
There is a toothpaste, Biotene, designed to help with dry mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/4 "2008-08-05T15:47:06Z")
Does it have any foaming agents in it? I use weird-ass natural toothpastes because I get a lot fewer canker sores without the sodium laurel sulphate and such. (I used to use Rembrandt but the whitening stuff was hard on my mouth, according to my dentist. So now my toothpaste is tea tree and cinnamon. Takes some getting used to.) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/5 "2008-08-05T15:52:44Z")
[QUOTE=Harriet the Spry] There is a toothpaste, Biotene, designed to help with dry mouth. [/QUOTE] They also make a rinse, which my dentist says works better. He says the INSTANT I start to get dry mouth, to start using it. Dry mouth can lead to more cavities. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/6 "2008-08-05T17:56:38Z")
Do you drink alcohol? If so, you might try cutting that out. But the SDMB is not your doctor: if you’re getting unpleasant side-effects, go see your doctor. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/7 "2008-08-05T18:39:51Z")
Ahh - AlleRx tablets. I know them well. Lemon drops work pretty well, but nothing beats lots of water. You can dehydrate pretty easy on that medication. ---
**Author:** ![MsFancyPlants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@MsFancyPlants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsFancyPlants)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/8 "2008-08-05T18:47:50Z")
I usually keep a piece of sugar-free gum tucked away in my mouth and chew on it discretely. I’m on a bicycle a lot and the gum really helps dry mouth - especially in hot weather. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/9 "2008-08-05T19:36:47Z")
The usual advice for dealing with dry mouth is sugar free gum, sugarless hard candies, and small frequent sips of water or ice chips. Please, do speak to you doctor about the side effects before altering the med schedule. ---
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/10 "2008-08-05T19:41:27Z")
There is also a spray version of artificial saliva (“salivart,” I think) that we singers sometimes bust out to combat dry mouth backstage, but be warned…it tastes exactly like having someone spit copiously in your mouth. If you can handle that unpleasant sensation, it works splendidly. ~fig ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/11 "2008-08-06T01:23:29Z")
I get dry mouth from a few of my meds. I just drink a lot of water, which is good for me anyway. If you stay hydrated in general, it helps. When I’m out, I always carry Tic Tacs. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/12 "2008-08-06T01:46:51Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] Does it have any foaming agents in it? I use weird-ass natural toothpastes because I get a lot fewer canker sores without the sodium laurel sulphate and such. (I used to use Rembrandt but the whitening stuff was hard on my mouth, according to my dentist. So now my toothpaste is tea tree and cinnamon. Takes some getting used to.) [/QUOTE] No, in fact biotene is one of the few SLS free toothpastes out there, I use it for that reason. Thy also make gum and mouthwash. The gum is very good for occ dry mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/13 "2008-08-06T03:27:04Z")
I picked up the toothpaste and the mouthwash today. Hey, maybe the toothpaste will beat the tea tree and cinnamon. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-you-can-do-about-dry-mouth/458920/14 "2008-08-06T10:17:28Z")
I used to chew Gatorgum; it’s made by Gatorade, and it **definitely** stimulates salivation. I don’t know if they still make it. Look at sporting goods stores.