Lubricating Your Dry Throat and Dry Mouth

People from all walks of life who use their voice extensively (teachers, sales persons, speakers, singers, etc.) suffer from dryness of the vocal cords due to overuse. Dry vocal cords do not vibrate well so there is difficulty in speaking. People who snore experience similar problems since snoring causes dryness of the throat. In addition to difficulty speaking caused by reduction in saliva, common symptoms for people who have a dry mouth (xerostomia) problem include bad breath, frequent thirst, difficulty eating dry foods, thirsty with a dry mouth at night, a sticky, sore dry mouth, sore throat, a red and parched mouth, a pebbled appearance of the tongue, cracked lips, and difficulty in swallowing.
Many over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines (antihistamines) cause dry mouth. In addition, many prescription medicines are a major cause of dryness of the throat. These include anti-depressants, diuretics, anti-hypertension drugs, drugs to treat Parkinson’s disease, and some beta-blockers. About half of people over 60 years of age often take three or more drugs which increases their likelihood of having a dry mouth problem. The lack of saliva, which help remove bacteria, often results in oral health problems such as increase in cavities, gingivitis (inflammation of the gum), and periodontitis – which can lead to loss of teeth. Diseases such as Sjögren’s syndrome and diabetes result in dry mouth. Treatment for head and neck cancers often result in salivary gland damage with resulting decrease in saliva. Head and neck injury can damage nerves to the salivary gland which tell the glands to make saliva.