In this article, we’ll cover the following:
Dry mouth, scientifically called Xerostomia, is a condition caused by impaired function of the salivary glands. This condition leads to a lack of saliva production, which supposedly keeps our mouth from drying. It’s more common in adults or aging people than in the youth. Xerostomia may be a symptom of another disease like sarcoidosis or amyloidosis. Don’t mistake having a dry mouth at rare times when you’re upset or stressed. Xerostomia makes you experience a dry mouth most of the time.
People suffering from dry mouth may have difficulty eating as saliva makes us chew food easily.
If you think you’re experiencing from dry mouth or xerostomia, make sure to avoid spicy foods and sweet drinks.
Several factors may cause this condition. You may suffer from this condition because of certain drugs you take. It also comes with age and if you’re undergoing cancer treatments like radiotherapy. Excessive smoking could also lead to dry mouth as well as dehydration.
Here are the signs and symptoms of Xerostomia:
- bad breath
- dryness in the mouth
- taste disorders
- oral fungal infections like thrush
- painful tongue
- tongue inflammation
- tooth decay
- sore throat
- sticky saliva
The medical treatment of dry mouth (xerostomia) includes taking specific medications. Some dry mouth medications stimulate saliva production. But with natural remedies reigning in the health-conscious people, it’s not so surprising that there’s a natural remedy for dry mouth. Use coconut oil.
How to Relieve Dry Mouth with Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil is one of nature’s best! It can certainly do a lot of work. Keep a jar of coconut oil in your home, and you can use it everywhere. To moisten the dry mouth this time, we will use coconut oil for oil pulling.
Using coconut oil for oil pulling will help moisten your mouth while killing the harmful bacteria that may lead to bad breath and tooth decay. The oil pulling technique will lock in moisture in the mouth. How? It provides a protective layer on the tongue, gums, throat, and cheeks that’ll lessen the dryness in the mouth.
Here’s how to oil pull with coconut oil:
- Use extra virgin coconut oil and scoop one tablespoon.
- Put it in your mouth and gargle the oil thoroughly.
- After 10 minutes, spit it out.
- Rinse your mouth with lukewarm water.
- You can finish it off by brushing your teeth like you usually do.
Do this coconut oil pulling once every morning. Make sure you haven’t eaten anything. Also, make sure to keep yourself hydrated with water. If the dry mouth problem persists, you should visit your physician. There may be an underlying, more severe condition behind your dry mouth.