The Top 10 Myths About Dry Mouth — Debunked

Dry mouth is a common condition that affects roughly 20% of the population — millions of people — yet it remains widely misunderstood. Myths and misconceptions about its causes, symptoms, and treatments can lead to unnecessary worry or missed opportunities for relief. 

Whether you’ve heard that dry mouth only happens with aging, or that drinking more water is the ultimate cure, it’s time to separate fact from fiction. 

 

In this post, we’ll debunk 10 common myths about dry mouth and provide you with accurate information to better understand and manage this condition.

 

The Top 10 Myths About Dry Mouth (aka Xerostomia)

 

1. Dry mouth isn’t a big deal

You may have mentioned your dry mouth condition to friends or family members who sloughed it off and said, “Oh, that’s too bad,” without realizing what dry mouth symptoms actually mean. In fact, many people think of dry mouth as a minor inconvenience, but in reality, its effects can have a major impact on quality of life. 

 

As saliva plays a crucial role in oral health by neutralizing acids, washing away food particles, and preventing bacterial overgrowth, a lack of saliva can cause major oral health problems, such as bad breath, rampant cavities, gum disease, difficulty tasting, swallowing, and talking, frequent oral infections, and more. 

 

Suffice it to say that dry mouth is a big deal, and if left untreated, can lead to a host of uncomfortable and painful symptoms. On the other hand, proper dry  mouth treatment can help minimize the effects of dry mouth and improve your daily quality of life. 

 

2. Drinking more water is a miracle cure for dry mouth

Water is the basis of saliva production and general health, so staying hydrated is crucial. However, dry mouth is often more than a result of straightforward dehydration — it is caused by a lack of saliva, and saliva is not just water as it contains other elements that provide lubrication in the mouth and protect the teeth and oral soft tissues. Therefore, simply drinking more water is not likely to solve the problem. It can, however, provide a foundation for other dry mouth treatments to work more effectively. 

 

3. Lifestyle changes are a miracle cure for dry mouth

While lifestyle changes like avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and smoking can help manage dry mouth symptoms, they don’t provide a complete cure. When dry mouth is caused by medication, Sjögren’s syndrome, diabetes, injury, or radiation therapy, medical intervention is usually required. Therefore, lifestyle adjustments shouldn’t be a stand-alone solution or “miracle” cure for dry mouth, but they can be implemented in conjunction with a holistic dry mouth treatment plan. 

 

4. If medication is the cause of dry mouth, don’t take more medication to cure it

The most common cause of dry mouth is medication, including antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and more. While some people worry that taking an additional medication to treat dry mouth will only exacerbate their problems, this is not the case. There are several prescription medications that don’t stop saliva production. 

 

At the same time, you should talk with your doctor about the dry-mouth-inducing medication — it may be possible to adjust the dosage or find an alternative. This may decrease the symptoms of dry mouth while the saliva-inducing medication can help your body produce more saliva, getting your oral health back on track.

 

5. Dry mouth only happens in older people

Dry mouth is certainly more common in older people — it affects about 20% of the general population and at least 30% of the population aged 65+. However, it’s not exclusively a problem of the elderly. There are several reasons young people may experience dry mouth, including medication side effects, polypharmacy (taking two or more medications concurrently), mental health issues or mood disorders, autoimmune diseases, and head and neck cancer treatments.

 

Fortunately, no matter the age you experience dry mouth, there are many effective treatments available. 

 

6. Dry mouth is a natural part of aging

While dry mouth is more common in the older population, it is not a natural part of the aging process. The reason it’s more common in older people is due to conditions associated with aging, such as increased medication use, polypharmacy, disease, and illness.

 

Regardless of how common dry mouth is among older people, the condition doesn’t need to be accepted as an unavoidable consequence of aging — it can and should be managed with appropriate treatments.

 

7. Dry mouth is genetic

Dry mouth itself is not genetic, but several causes of dry mouth have a genetic component, such as Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that affects salivary glands, and type 2 diabetes. However, for most people, dry mouth is caused by external factors such as medication, health conditions, or lifestyle habits rather than direct genetic inheritance.

 

8. If you practice good oral hygiene, you won’t get dry mouth

Good oral hygiene practices can help improve the symptoms of dry mouth, but they can’t prevent it. Even people with excellent oral care routines can experience dry mouth due to medication, stress, injury, cancer treatment, and disease. However, the better your oral hygiene routine, the better your chances of minimizing some common effects of dry mouth, such as bad breath, cavities, oral infections, and discomfort.

 

9. Thyroid treatment can cure dry mouth

Thyroid disease and dry mouth are related, as some of the effects of thyroid disease directly impact the salivary glands’ ability to produce saliva. However, some thyroid disease treatments can also cause dry mouth, meaning that treating thyroid disease won’t necessarily cure dry mouth. Rather, you should work with your healthcare provider to seek treatments for both thyroid disease and dry mouth to ensure that the treatments complement one another as best as possible.

 

10. Electrostimulation is a painful treatment method for dry mouth

While the word “electrostimulation” can sound scary, this type of dry mouth treatment is not painful. In fact, oral electrostimulation, as provided by the SaliPen, is an effective dry mouth treatment that delivers painless electrical impulses to the oral cavity to stimulate the salivary glands into action. Users experience the impulses as slightly tingling, not as pain. The SaliPen is one of the best options for non-invasive, non-pharmacological dry mouth treatments, with zero side effects. 

 

The Bottom Line

There are many myths about dry mouth floating around, so it’s important not to rely on anecdotes or hearsay, but to talk to a trained medical professional about your specific situation. Because dry mouth treatment is highly dependent on the cause, it’s important to discuss all your medical symptoms and history with your healthcare provider. This will ensure you get the best, most customized treatment plan possible. 

 

FAQS

Is dry mouth a serious health condition?

Dry mouth isn’t fatal, but it is a health condition that can lower one’s quality of life. It affects basic daily activities such as chewing, swallowing, tasting, and talking — therefore, it’s important not to ignore it but to seek effective treatment. 

 

Is the SaliPen an effective dry mouth treatment?

Yes, the SaliPen is an FDA-approved dry mouth treatment that effectively stimulates the salivary glands to produce more saliva, without any of the side effects of other dry mouth treatments. Talk to your doctor or dentist to see how the SaliPen can fit into your customized dry mouth treatment plan. 

 

Where can I buy the SaliPen?

You can purchase the SaliPen here.