Many prescription and over-the-counter medications are believed to cause dry mouth symptoms. This medication-induced dry mouth is a side effect that most patients simply learn to accept. No matter how bothersome it may be, dry mouth is not life-threatening. Therefore, the benefit of the medication generally takes precedence over the discomfort caused by the dry mouth.

Chronic dry mouth ranges in severity from annoying to debilitating. At its first appearance, you may assume it is a temporary condition that is quickly fixed by a glass of water or stick of gum. But left unchecked, dry mouth can lead to loss of taste, tooth decay, and gum disease.

Horace, an ancient Roman poet once said, “In times of stress, be bold and valiant.” This advice is easier said than done, however, because stress tends to wreak havoc on your body—prompting dry mouth, rapid breathing, headaches, dizziness, and other telltale signs.

Some sources estimate that nearly all patients who undergo radiation therapy for head and neck cancers experience some level of xerostomia, also known as dry mouth. Dry mouth is, at times, a debilitating condition. It affects an individual’s daily comfort, oral health, and ability to eat and enjoy food. Depending on the patient and on the parameters of the radiation therapy, these unsettling symptoms can be either temporary or permanent.