Ear, nose and throat
Medicines for Dry mouth
A lack of saliva causing a dry, uncomfortable mouth, often from medicines, dehydration or certain conditions — managed by addressing the cause and keeping the mouth moist.
Education and reference only. This explains which medicines are used and why, in plain language — it deliberately contains no doses and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always discuss your own treatment with a qualified clinician, and check the BNF and the product labelling for prescribing detail.
Quick answer
What is Dry mouth?
Dry mouth (xerostomia) is the uncomfortable feeling of not having enough saliva. Saliva does more than keep the mouth moist — it helps with tasting, chewing, swallowing and speaking, and protects the teeth and gums, so a persistently dry mouth can cause difficulty eating and speaking, a sore or burning mouth, bad breath, and a higher risk of tooth decay and mouth infections such as thrush.
- How it is treated: Management focuses on treating any underlying cause and relieving the dryness.
- Self-care: Sipping water regularly, chewing sugar-free gum, using saliva substitutes, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, smoking and alcohol-based mouthwashes, keeping air humidified, and paying extra attention to oral hygiene and dental care all help manage dry mouth.
- When to seek help: See a GP or dentist about a persistent dry mouth, especially if it affects eating, speaking or dental health, or comes with dry eyes or other symptoms (which may suggest an underlying condition), so the cause can be found and managed.
What it is
Dry mouth (xerostomia) is the uncomfortable feeling of not having enough saliva. Saliva does more than keep the mouth moist — it helps with tasting, chewing, swallowing and speaking, and protects the teeth and gums, so a persistently dry mouth can cause difficulty eating and speaking, a sore or burning mouth, bad breath, and a higher risk of tooth decay and mouth infections such as thrush. Common causes include many medicines (a very frequent cause), dehydration, breathing through the mouth, anxiety, and certain conditions — for example diabetes, or Sjögren's syndrome (an autoimmune condition affecting the glands). Cancer treatments such as radiotherapy to the head and neck can also cause it. Identifying the cause guides how it is managed.
How it is treated
Management focuses on treating any underlying cause and relieving the dryness. If a medicine is responsible, a doctor may review whether it can be changed or adjusted. Practical measures help: sipping water frequently, chewing sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva, using saliva substitutes or moisturising mouth products, avoiding things that dry the mouth (such as alcohol, caffeine, smoking and alcohol-containing mouthwashes), and keeping the air humidified. Because of the higher risk of tooth decay, good oral hygiene, fluoride and regular dental care are especially important. Where a condition such as Sjögren's syndrome or diabetes is the cause, treating and monitoring it is part of care. A dentist and GP can advise on the best combination for the individual.
For this condition, these medicines
Medicine classes used for Dry mouth
Each links to a full, dose-free guide — what it is, how it works, who can and cannot use it, side effects, interactions and FAQs.
Beyond medication
Lifestyle and self-care
Sipping water regularly, chewing sugar-free gum, using saliva substitutes, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, smoking and alcohol-based mouthwashes, keeping air humidified, and paying extra attention to oral hygiene and dental care all help manage dry mouth.
When to get help
When to see a doctor
See a GP or dentist about a persistent dry mouth, especially if it affects eating, speaking or dental health, or comes with dry eyes or other symptoms (which may suggest an underlying condition), so the cause can be found and managed.
Not sure how urgent it is? It is always OK to call NHS 111 for advice, day or night.
Answers
Dry mouth: frequently asked questions
What causes a dry mouth?
Common causes include many medicines, dehydration, mouth-breathing and anxiety, as well as conditions such as diabetes and Sjögren's syndrome, and treatments like head and neck radiotherapy. Identifying the cause guides management.
Why does dry mouth increase tooth decay?
Saliva helps protect the teeth, so a lack of it raises the risk of decay and mouth infections. This is why good oral hygiene, fluoride and regular dental care are especially important with a dry mouth.
Keep reading
Related articles
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NHS — Dry mouth
- Oral Health Foundation guidance
Related conditions
Browse by body system
Building a patient-information or formulary resource?
We create evidence-led, dose-free clinical references and decision aids for teams.