Dry Mouth in the Morning? It May Be Sleep Apnea
Saliva works to help our bodies stay healthy-it moistens our mouth, protecting our oral cavity from bacterial and fungal infection as well as acting to cleanse and digest particles of food. When something goes wrong with your saliva production or maintenance during the night, you may wake up with an uncomfortable sticky and coarse feeling in the mouth. You may be parched or show signs of dehydration in your oral cavity like sores in your mouth and splitting cracking skin on your lips. Bad breath and a frequent sore throat are other indications that your dry mouth is getting out of hand at night.
If you’re like many others and don’t think that finding out the cause of your dry mouth is that important, think again. Dry mouth can lead to health problems like gingivitis, an oral disease that may cause tissue and dental loss.
Causes of Dry Mouth
Your dry mouth may be caused by dehydration, medications, poor oral hygiene, or sleep apnea. If sleep apnea is the cause of your dry mouth, you’ll likely have other symptoms of the disorder like snoring, fatigue, and poor concentration. Sleep apnea is also characterized by weight gain, high blood pressure, and even sexual dysfunction. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms along with dry mouth, it’s time to talk to your doctor. You may be breathing through your mouth naturally or because your body is trying to compensate for oxygen lost during sleep apnea events by promoting mouth breathing. Either way, breathing through your mouth may lead to dry mouth.
What if Sleep Apnea is Causing My Dry Mouth?
If sleep apnea is the cause of your dry mouth, you may need continuous positive airway pressure therapy. CPAP therapy delivers constant positive pressure to your airway, preventing throat closure and episodes without breath during the night. This treatment may keep your mouth from opening so frequently during the night, preventing dry mouth and the frustrating side effects.
What if I’m Still Experiencing Dry Mouth?
For some, CPAP therapy alone doesn’t cure dry mouth or their dry mouth begins after starting therapy. If this is your case, we suggest adding warm air humidifier to your CPAP system. A humidifier moistens delivered air, preventing the drying of your oral or nasal membranes, promoting a much more comfortable atmosphere for sleep apnea treatment. The H5i Heated CPAP humidifier made by ResMed is one of the many wonderful warm air humidifiers available online.
Can’t find the best option for your CPAP machine? Still have questions about your dry mouth? Get in touch with the sleep specialists at Advanced Sleep Therapy and we can help. Whether you need a CPAP machine to get started, a humidifier to promote comfort, or a referral to another healthcare provider for something different altogether, we’d be delighted to be of assistance.
