Q Why do dry mouth and xerostomia happen?
A A dry mouth feeling occurs when the amount of saliva decreases or saliva becomes thicker. It can happen naturally with age, but is often caused by a combination of stress, low fluid intake, certain medications, and mouth breathing.
Detailed Answer
Saliva keeps the mouth moist, helps break down food, and suppresses bacterial growth. When saliva glands produce less, when stress disrupts the autonomic nervous system, or when fluid intake is insufficient, the mouth can feel dry even shortly after drinking water.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine, dry mouth is seen as a sign that the body's fluids (jinaek) have become depleted. When stress and fatigue dry up the fluids that keep the body moist, the eyes and skin can dry out along with the mouth. Rather than just moistening the mouth locally, the approach focuses on restoring the body's overall fluid balance.
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