Having dry mouth is uncomfortable but can also cause serious damage to your teeth. When you suffer from dry mouth or cottonmouth, what happens is you don’t produce the necessary amount of saliva that would keep your mouth moist. This is a problem because saliva wipes bacteria off of your teeth; when you don’t have the appropriate amount of saliva your teeth will start to decay rapidly.

If you do suffer from dry mouth you should get cleanings more regularly.

In the interim here are 8 ways to help alleviate your dry mouth:

1. Hydrate

This may sound silly but you’re most likely not drinking the recommended amount of water.

2. Limit your caffeine intake

Caffeine dehydrates you and it can also make your mouth drier.

3. Chew sugarless gum and sugarless candies.

These two solutions can provide short-term relief. Some gum contains xylitol, which helps stimulate saliva production.

4. Improve your oral health

Dry mouth may be both a symptom and a cause of poor oral hygiene. This includes flossing at least 1x per day, using fluoride toothpaste, using mouthwash and going to your hygienist more frequently.

5. Avoid breathing through your mouth

Mouth-breathing can make dry mouth worse and cause other oral health problems.

Try breathing through your nose more often than your mouth, especially when experiencing any dry mouth discomfort.

6 .Use a humidifier

Creating humidity may help dry mouth simply by adding more moisture to your environment. It can also help improve sleep and reduce discomfort.

7. Herbal remedies

Many herbs are sialagogue, meaning they can help stimulate saliva production. Below are some of the herbs that can help you produce more saliva:

Aloe vera is a great option, either the gel or the juice will do.
Ginger
Hollyhock root (it’s a moisturizing plant like aloe)
Marshmallow root (it’s a moisturizing plant like aloe)
Nopal cactus/ prickly pear cactus
Spilanthes
Sweet pepper

8. Over the counter saliva substitutes

Many pharmacies have a selection of saliva substitute brands that you can purchase.

Remember, these are solutions for short term relief. They will not cure the cause of your dry mouth.