Dry Mouth and Menopause: Understanding Hormonal Changes and Their Impact on Xerostomia
Women going through menopause may experience a vast array of symptoms, from hot flashes to achy joints to mood changes. One of the lesser-talked-about side effects of menopause and perimenopause is xerostomia. Studies show that 1 in 3 women going through menopause experience dry mouth (as opposed to the 1 in 5 rate among the general population).
Fortunately, there are many dry mouth treatment options, including the SaliPen, an intraoral electrostimulation device that’s especially suitable for women going through menopause. The SaliPen is a small, handheld device that delivers gentle electrical pulses directly to the salivary glands, triggering natural saliva production in less than a minute. The main upside of the SaliPen is that there are no pharmacological effects and no side effects; these are crucial benefits for women going through menopause.
Understanding how and why menopause disrupts saliva production explains why solutions like the SaliPen are rapidly gaining popularity among both patients and clinicians. Let’s dig in.
Estrogen, Salivary Glands, and Dry Mouth Discomfort
Estrogen is not only a crucial hormone in reproductive health, but it plays a direct role in maintaining healthy salivary tissue. Both major and minor salivary glands are rich in estrogen receptors. During menopause, when women’s bodies produce less estrogen, salivary glands may also produce less saliva, leading to dry mouth.
But what exactly is dry mouth? It’s certainly more than being thirsty; dry mouth comes with an array of symptoms that affect oral health, general health, and quality of life.
Dry mouth symptoms include:
- Difficulty talking, chewing, and swallowing
- Loss of taste or altered taste (dysgeusia), which can lead to poor nutrition
- Difficulty wearing dentures
- Sore throat, burning mouth syndrome
- Increased risk of cavities, root decay, and periodontal disease
- Disrupted sleep
Not every woman going through menopause will experience dry mouth, and of those who do, each will likely experience their own unique combination of symptoms.
Compounding the Problem of Dry Mouth During Menopause
The biological process of menopause leads to dry mouth in roughly 33% of women experiencing it. Dry mouth symptoms in menopause are compounded by two issues that often accompany this condition: mouth breathing and polypharmacy.
- Mouth breathing
During hot flashes and night sweats, many women unconsciously open their mouths to cool down, leading to hours of mouth breathing (as opposed to breathing through the nose). Mouth breathing dries out the oral mucosa and exacerbates dry mouth symptoms. As the cycle repeats every night, dry mouth symptoms get worse, including constant thirst, sore throat, hoarseness, and an increased risk of oral infections and gum disease.
- Polypharmacy
Polypharmacy, taking more than one medication at the same time, is a known risk factor for dry mouth. Polypharmacy is typically more common in the older population, and menopause often coincides with new or intensified prescriptions such as antidepressants, antihypertensives, antihistamines, sleep aids, and certain osteoporosis medications.
On their own, these medications are xerogenic, i.e. can lead to dry mouth. When one of these is taken with another medication, even one not known to be xerogenic, the risk of dry mouth increases. And for women already experiencing hormonal dry mouth, these medications can severely decrease quality of life.
Dry Mouth Treatment Options for Menopausal Women
Women going through menopause, whether they breathe through their mouths at night or take multiple medications, don’t need to suffer in silence. There are several effective treatments available:
- Intraoral electrostimulation via the SaliPen: The SaliPen is the only handheld, OTC electrostimulation device specifically designed to stimulate the salivary glands without pharmacological intervention. Users simply place the disposable tip under the tongue, press a button, and adjust the intensity of the pulses. Most users feel a saliva surge within seconds and effects last from two to six hours. Because it’s drug-free, non-hormonal, and has no known side effects, The SaliPen is ideal for women going through menopause.
- Medications: Cevimeline and pilocarpine are the two main medications to treat dry mouth, but these are a double-edged sword; whereas they are effective in stimulating the salivary glands to produce more saliva, polypharmacy also increases the risk of xerostomia. So for some women they may be effective, and for others not. Moreover, these medications may come with pharmacological side effects, including excessive sweating, which can be a nightmare for menopausal women already experiencing night sweats and hot flashes.
- Artificial saliva: OTC or prescription artificial saliva (also known as saliva substitutes) are a form of xerostomia treatment that targets the symptoms, but not the root cause. The root cause of dry mouth is low-functioning salivary glands; both intraoral electrostimulation and medications work to stimulate the salivary glands to produce more saliva. Artificial saliva products, on the other hand, offer temporary symptom relief in the forms of alcohol-free mouthwash, xylitol gums, lozenges, and mouth spray. Artificial saliva products can usually be used in conjunction with electrostimulation and medication to attack the problem from two fronts.
- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): Some studies show that HRT can increase salivary estradiol (a primary form of estrogen) in menopausal women, thereby decreasing their dry mouth symptoms. HRT may also reduce other menopause symptoms, such as night sweats and hot flashes.
Dry Mouth Management Tips
For menopausal women experiencing dry mouth, seeking treatment is important to reduce discomfort and improve quality of life. In addition to clinical interventions, several lifestyle habits can work toward the same goal:
- Drink enough water! Water is the basis for saliva production, so it’s crucial to stay properly hydrated.
- Limit caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and sugar intake; all of these substances are causally related to dry mouth.
- Practice nose breathing (as opposed to mouth breathing; see above).
- Use a humidifier at night to maintain moisture in the air.
- Go to the dentist more frequently, as dry mouth can have a debilitating impact on oral health.
The Bottom Line: There is No Need to Suffer in Silence
The 33% of menopausal women who experience dry mouth know that it’s more than just a minor inconvenience; it’s a condition that affects basic functioning in daily life. This is why it’s a symptom that should not be ignored; anyone who tells you, “Just learnt to live with it,” is wrong.
No one needs to ignore problematic symptoms when there are so many effective dry mouth treatments available: The non-pharmacological SaliPen, medications, and artificial saliva products. Dry mouth treatment can improve the symptoms that detract from life’s daily pleasures: Talking, eating, tasting, sleeping, and more.
Menopause is a natural part of the female aging process, but there’s no need to suffer in silence. Seek treatment, see improved symptoms, and get the most out of what life has to offer.
FAQS
What causes dry mouth during menopause?
The natural decline in estrogen levels that causes night sweats and hot flashes during menopause is also the cause of dry mouth during this time. Estrogen receptors are present in salivary glands, and lower estrogen levels reduce saliva production.
How common is dry mouth in menopausal women?
Approximately 1 in 3 women going through menopause or perimenopause experience dry mouth, compared to about 1 in 5 people in the general population.
Why does mouth breathing make dry mouth worse during menopause?
Hot flashes and night sweats often cause women to unconsciously breathe through their mouth to cool down. Mouth breathing dries out the oral mucosa and exacerbates existing dry mouth symptoms.
What is the difference between the SaliPen and prescription dry-mouth medications like pilocarpine or cevimeline?
The SaliPen is a handheld electrostimulation device that triggers the salivary glands with gentle electrical pulses. As this method is drug-free, there are no side effects. Prescription medications are systemic drugs that stimulate saliva production pharmacologically, and as such, they are effective but may cause side effects such as excessive sweating, nausea, or interactions with other medications.
Is the SaliPen safe to use alongside other dry-mouth treatments?
Yes. SaliPen has no known drug interactions or systemic side effects, so it can be safely combined with artificial saliva sprays, gels, lozenges, HRT, or prescription medications. However, we recommend talking to your healthcare specialist before adding any treatment to your regimen.
Where can I purchase the SaliPen?
You can buy the SaliPen directly from the official website.
