Do you drink water often or have a dry mouth? Critical care doctor reveals warning: It may be a sign of "four major diseases"
Do you drink water often or have a dry mouth? Critical care doctor warns: It may be a sign of “four major diseases”
Frequently feeling dry mouth, may it be a warning sign of a specific disease? Dr. Huang Xuan, an expert in critical care medicine, pointed out in a social post that occasional dry mouth is mostly caused by insufficient water intake, heavy food, high temperatures in summer, or excessive sweating during exercise. However, if a patient subjectively identifies as having frequent xerostomia, he or she should be careful as the body is sending warning signs of the following diseases:
Autoimmune diseases. An autoimmune disease is a disease in which the immune system attacks the body. Common examples include Sjögren’s syndrome, one of which is characterized by dry mouth. A document published in “Autoimmune Disease Reviews” pointed out that the incidence of dry mouth in Sjogren’s disease is as high as 90%.
Diabetes. Diabetes, which is common among Taiwanese, is itself a metabolic disease and may cause dry mouth. A study published in Acta Dentistry pointed out that diabetic patients have a higher incidence of dry mouth, and the reason may be related to “nerve damage” caused by high blood sugar.
Chronic kidney disease. Patients with chronic kidney disease may face frequent dryness of the mouth. The Journal of Clinical Nephrology reports that patients with chronic kidney disease have a higher incidence of dry mouth, which may be related to impaired kidney function, metabolite accumulation and medication.
Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a respiratory disease that may cause patients to have multiple short-term breathing pauses during sleep, making them unable to breathe adequately, lacking oxygen, and leading to dry mouth and tongue. situation. In addition, sleep apnea also causes the mouth and throat to become dry, making patients more likely to feel thirsty.
According to literature published in “Sleep Medicine Reviews”, the incidence of dry mouth and tongue in patients with sleep apnea is about 40% to 50%; and treating sleep apnea may help improve the symptoms of dry mouth and tongue. A study published in the journal “Sleep Medicine” concluded that using “continuous positive airway pressure” (CPAP) to treat sleep apnea can effectively reduce dry mouth.
Can smoking and taking medicine cause thirst? 5 tips to reduce the frequency of dry mouth
If dry mouth often persists or worsens, what measures can be taken to improve it? Dr. Huang Xuan explains as follows:
Drink less caffeinated drinks. Many people are accustomed to drinking coffee or tea instead of boiled water after waking up in the morning and having a dry mouth. Literature published in the authoritative medical journal “JAMA” points out that the caffeine in coffee and tea may cause the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat to dry out, causing a feeling of dry mouth and tongue. It is recommended to reduce the intake of coffee and tea in the morning and drink more boiled water to effectively improve dry mouth.
Quit smoking. An article published in the “Journal of Clinical Respirology” points out that smoking during the day will stimulate excessive saliva secretion and excessively reduce saliva secretion at night; in addition, repeated inhalation of smoke will cause the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat to become drier and thinner . Therefore, when smokers wake up in the morning, they are almost always in a state of extremely dry mouth. It is recommended that smokers quit smoking as soon as possible, which is one of the effective ways to improve dry mouth.
Drug side effects. Many medications may cause a dry mouth sensation, including antidepressants, antihistamines, and diuretics. Research in the Journal of Pharmacotherapeutics shows that these drugs may cause a decrease in saliva production, causing the mouth and throat to become dry. If you feel your medication is the cause of your dry mouth, you should discuss with your doctor whether you can switch to another medication.
Replenish moisture. It is one of the most common causes of dry mouth. Increasing water intake is the simplest and most effective way to improve dry mouth. It is recommended to drink enough water every day and avoid excessive drinking, coffee, tea and other beverages that contain diuretic effects. If you think the water is colorless and odorless, you can also add fruit slices or add bubbles to make sparkling water to increase the flavor and taste.
Avoid dry environment. If the sleeping environment is too dry, it may worsen the feeling of dry mouth. “Journal of Dentistry” research shows that the humidity in the air has an important impact on the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat, and an environment that is too dry may cause dry mouth. At this time, you can use a humidifier to improve the humidity of the sleeping environment and reduce the feeling of dry mouth.
In general, Dr. Huang Xuan suggests that you should appropriately reduce the intake of coffee, tea and tobacco, increase the frequency of drinking water, or choose foods rich in water, improve the sleeping environment, etc., which can effectively improve dry mouth and tongue. Case. If the above methods cannot relieve dry mouth and tongue, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible to clarify whether there are other underlying diseases and other issues.
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