DESCRIPTION

CAUSES

REMEDIES

DIET

Are you prone to a problem with 'Dry Mouth / Tongue'?
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Salivary glands normally produce .75 - 1.5 liters of fluid per day. Xerostomia, or dry mouth is a subjective feeling that the mouth is too dry. The terms comes from the Greek: Xeros = dry and stoma = mouth. This condition is commonly called pasty mouth or cotton mouth and effects 20% of the population.

Lips may stick together, be chapped or cracked. A pasty mouth makes it difficult to talk as the tongue sticks to the roof of the mouth. It may be difficult to swallow or taste food.

Ayurveda's Perspective

Since a dry mouth is also indication that other digestive glands are also dry, Ayurveda recommends that you maintain a moist, juicy mouth at all times. The most important digestive aid you have is thorough chewing and mixing of food with saliva. Saliva also contains enzymes, antiseptics, and antibodies that digest food between teeth and kill bacteria that cause tooth decay. Inadequate saliva can lead to increased cavities.

A dry mouth can be a sign of inadequate hydration, one of the earliest signs of high Vata. Although drinking too little fluids can be a leading cause of dehydration, do not overlook sweating, loose stools, excess urination, and electrolyte imbalance as causes of dehydration. When the blood is toxic or after you have eaten a diuretic food, the kidneys will flush excess water out of the body (via the urine) along with toxins. This, along with various kidney deficiencies, can make it difficult for some individuals to stay hydrated.

Kapha type dry mouth may be a sign of thick, sluggish circulation. The heart may be unable to lift this thick blood to head adequately. Thus dry mouth occurs in pear-shaped individuals. It can also be a sign of high blood sugar (especially in diabetics) or sodium levels. Salt and sugar, because of their effects on osmotic pressure, create strong thirst.

Causes

Other common causes include mouth breathing especially due to a stuffed nose. Although saliva naturally decreases at night, if your mouth feels parched upon waking, you might be mouth breathing while sleeping. Stress and fear can make the mouth pasty. Saliva stimulated by stress is also thicker than saliva stimulated by food. Alcohol, diuretics, and astringents, especially mouthwash, can create a dry mouth. Dry mouth is also related to dry eyes, the inability to cry, sensitivity to bright light, dry skin, and a hoarse voice.

Xerostemia is prevalent among the elderly. Although salivary gland output drops only modestly as you age, your sense of thirst weakens and this could lead to inadequate fluid intake. The elderly also take more medications. Many pharmaceuticals can lead to dry mouth.

DIET REMEDIES FOR 'DRY MOUTH / TONGUE'

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Augment your diet with these specially chosen ingredients below which may be useful for 'Dry Mouth / Tongue'. Individual results vary depending the cause of your imbalance and by constitution. Please research the ingredients below to find which are most helpful for you, and check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.

HERBS & PRODUCTS FOR 'DRY MOUTH / TONGUE'

MORE DIGESTION TIPS

DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. The information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not be used to treat a medical condition. It is not a substitute for medical care. Please check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.

AVOID DIETS, LIFESTYLES & HERBS THAT AGGRAVATE THESE EFFECTS

According to Ayurveda, one or more of the following doshas and qualities may aggravate 'Dry Mouth / Tongue'. If you have an excess of one of these doshas or qualities below, Ayurveda recommends reducing foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate them. Click on the quality to learn what foods and lifestyle habits should be reduced.

V = VATA, P = PITTA, K = KAPHA

GUNA	FOODS TO AVOID	DO YOU HAVE THIS IMBALANCE?
DIFFICULT ABOUT DIFFICULT GUNA Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest. LEARN MORE ABOUT DIFFICULT	AVOID DIFFICULT FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE DRY MOUTH / TONGUE	FIND OUT Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you need to decrease Difficult to digest foods.
DRY ABOUT DRY GUNA Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY	AVOID DRY FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE DRY MOUTH / TONGUE	FIND OUT Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Dry' guna.
GOOEY ABOUT GOOEY GUNA Gooey is identified by anything gelatinous (such as oatmeal), or by mucus congestion. LEARN MORE ABOUT GOOEY	AVOID GOOEY FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE DRY MOUTH / TONGUE	FIND OUT Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Gooey' guna.
TOXIC ABOUT TOXIC GUNA A substance that causes toxicity in the body, or that harms the body. LEARN MORE ABOUT TOXIC	AVOID TOXIC FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE DRY MOUTH / TONGUE	FIND OUT Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Toxic' guna.
ASTRINGENT ABOUT ASTRINGENT GUNA Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying. LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT	AVOID ASTRINGENT FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE DRY MOUTH / TONGUE	FIND OUT Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Astringent' taste.
SWEET ABOUT SWEET GUNA Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET	AVOID SWEET FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE DRY MOUTH / TONGUE	FIND OUT Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Sweet' taste.

To learn more about the symbols above, click on them.

SEE A DIET WHICH REMOVES THESE CAUSES

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FAVOR DIETS, LIFESTYLES & HERBS WITH THESE MEDICINAL EFFECTS

Everything you eat has an effect on your body, which Ayurveda categorizes in a simple and easy way, using gunas. Gunas are qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the effect a food or herb has on your body. Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism. Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism. For 'Dry Mouth / Tongue', you should select foods with the following qualities (gunas). Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance.

GUNA	FOODS TO FAVOR	CONDITION IN YOUR BODY
LIQUID ABOUT LIQUID GUNA Liquid is identified by thin fluids (low viscosity). LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUID	LIQUID INGREDIENTS LIQUID RECIPES	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Liquid' guna
SALTY ABOUT SALTY GUNA Salty refers to anything with salt, or high mineral content. LEARN MORE ABOUT SALTY	SALTY INGREDIENTS SALTY RECIPES	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Salty' taste
SOUR ABOUT SOUR GUNA Sour refers to anything fermented or acidic. LEARN MORE ABOUT SOUR	SOUR INGREDIENTS SOUR RECIPES	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Sour' taste

To learn more about the symbols above, click on them.

Digestion:

Quenches thirst

QUENCHES-THIRST

An herb or substance that relieves thirst.

LEARN MORE ABOUT QUENCHES-THIRST

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Sialogogue

SIALOGOGUE

A sialogogue increases saliva. Sour foods are often great sialogogues, and increase output of all exocrine glands. Salty taste is very moistening as well. Bitter, pungent and sweettastes also increase salivary output but to a lesser degree. Astringents

LEARN MORE ABOUT SIALOGOGUE

Heart & Circulation:

Rebuild Electrolytes

REBUILD-ELECTROLYTES

Substances that increase your electrolyte balance. Electrolytes help you retain water, keep your palate moist, and truly quench your thirst.

LEARN MORE ABOUT REBUILD-ELECTROLYTES

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Rebuilds Fluids

REBUILDS-FLUIDS

Herbs or substances that create moisture in the body and increase fluids.

LEARN MORE ABOUT REBUILDS-FLUIDS

Lung and Sinus:

Demulcent

DEMULCENT

Herbs that coat or form a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DEMULCENT

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ADDRESS ISSUES IN STAGE OF DISEASE 1

DRY MOUTH / TONGUE IS IN STAGE OF DISEASE 1 - AFFECTING DIGESTION

If you have symptoms in this category, your body is sending you a warning sign. Since digestion is so metabolically intensive and sensitive to stress and emotions, the earliest warning signs of imbalance usually appear in the digestive tract first. You may have gas and bloating, for example, or acid reflux. Ayurveda recommends paying careful, close attention to warning signs. They indicate that an imbalance is starting to accumulate. Correct these warning signs before they accumulate further and weaken your body's resistance. This is usually accomplished by removing diet and lifestyle habits that aggravate your imbalanced doshas and qualities.

REDUCE THESE RELATED SYMPTOMS & HABITS

The following symptoms & habits may be related to 'Dry Mouth / Tongue'. See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type. Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them.

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