Why Your Mouth Feels Dry Every Morning

You wake up in the morning, scratch, and then suddenly realize your mouth feels so dry. Your tongue is feeling like a desert, your throat feels scratchy, and all you want is a big glass of water. It is a very common way to wake up, but it is still annoying. You might think, why does this happen every morning, especially if you drink a glass of water daily before going to sleep?

The truth is, many things happen inside your body when you sleep that completely dry your mouth. Let's look at the simple reasons why you wake up thirsty and how you can easily stop it.

What Happens Inside Your Mouth When You Sleep?

When you fall asleep, your whole body slows down to rest. This also includes your mouth; it makes less saliva at night so that your mouth doesn't drool away. Because you swallow much less while sleeping, it can cause your saliva to pool if your mouth opens. With less water being made in your mouth during the night, it can cause dry mouth in the morning. Also, if you have a blocked or stuffy nose, you might sleep with your mouth open. Breathing in and out with your mouth and a fan running in the ceiling can make your mouth go dry completely.

What Are The Common Reasons Behind It?

Waking up with a dry mouth in the morning because the salivary glands slow down production while you sleep. The following can be other reasons behind it:

• Mouth Breathing: If you have any allergy, a stuffy nose, or a deviated septum, to breathe air you sleep with your mouth open, which dries out your oral tissues.
• Dehydration: Not drinking enough water throughout the day can cause dehydration in the body; as with electrolytes, enzymes, and antimicrobial molecules, saliva is primarily made of water. If you are dehydrated, then your body may not get the amount it needs to make saliva.
• Medications: If someone is taking medicines such as antidepressants, decongestants, or blood pressure pills, then it can also cause dry mouth in a person.
• Chronic Illness: If someone has a chronic illness such as diabetes or autoimmune disorders, then it can also impair your salivary glands, resulting in dry mouth every morning.
• Sleep Apnea: When someone faces brief breathing stopping or heavy snoring during the night, then it also forces you to breathe through your mouth. 
• Your Last Drink or Meal: If you eat or drink something sugary, salty, or spicy before going to bed, then it can reduce your salivary flow, contributing to dry mouth at night. 
• Smoking & Tobacco Use: If you are someone who smokes and consumes tobacco excessively, then it can also cause dry mouth.

When Is It Not Normal?

Dry mouth is called Xerostomia in medical terms, which is caused by dehydration or feeling anxious. But when your mouth feels dry all the time, then it can be a sign of some serious medical conditions lying inside you. If not treated in time, it can cause you serious issues such as tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental issues. 

Common Symptoms of Dry Mouth

The main sign of dry mouth feeling of stickiness in the mouth due to a lack of saliva. But other possible symptoms include:

• Bad breath and sore throat.
• Dry feeling in your nose
• Lip, tongue, and mouth sores or pain
• Increased thirst and frequent urination
• Difficulty in eating, swallowing, or speaking.

How Does Ayurveda Explain It?

In Ayurveda, dry mouth is caused by an imbalance in the Vata dosha and Pitta dosha, which dries out the body tissues, often linked to excessive thirst or a depletion of vital plasma fluids,  Rasa dhatu kshaya. 

Vata dosha governs space, movement, and dryness; imbalance in Vata causes dry and light qualities to absorb moisture from the mouth and mucous membranes. Pitta dosha governs heat and metabolism in the body; excess heat in the body can cause Pitta imbalance, which causes sensation, inflammation, and a parched feeling in the oral cavity. 

If someone has weak digestive fire, known as Agni, then their digestion process slows down, which causes Ama to build up in the body, leading to channel blockage that results in dysfunction of salivary glands.

Common Ayurvedic Triggers 

The following are the common Ayurvedic triggers that cause disruption in the body doshas and weaken your digestive fire in the body:

• Dietary habits: If you eat too much dry, cold, hard, or processed foods, it can cause Pitta imbalance in the body.
• Taste imbalances: If you overuse pungent, sour, or salty tastes, then it can aggravate Vata and Pitta.
• Beverages: If you consume excessive caffeine, alcohol, or acidic drinks can cause Pitta imbalance in the body.
• Lifestyle factors: Factors such as high stress, anxiety, late-night sleeping, and snacking can aggravate Vata dosha in the body.

Simple Ways To Prevent Dry Mouth In The Morning

You can follow the simple ways mentioned below to prevent dry mouth in the morning, which include:

• Drink warm water throughout the day and also on an empty stomach in the morning.
• Stop smoking and consuming tobacco.
• Maintain good oral hygiene and use mouthwashes in the morning.
• Get treatment for nasal congestion and nose blokage, if you have it.
• Avoid eating too sugary, salty, and spicy food before sleeping.
• Use a humidifier to add moisture to your bedroom air to keep your throat and mouth from drying out. 
• Fix your lifestyle by managing your stress, sleeping properly, and moving your body daily.

When To See A Doctor?

If you experience any of the signs mentioned below, then go see a doctor immediately:

• If you have a persistent dry mouth that does not go away even with home care.
• If you experience trouble speaking, chewing, and eating.
• If your mouth has white patches and red, painful sores in the mouth.
• If you experience uncontrolled and excessive thirst.
• If you go to the bathroom to urinate frequently.
• If you have tooth decay, joint pain, skin rash, and dry eyes and skin.

Conclusion

Having a dry mouth in the morning can be annoying but can be fixed with proper care. It can be caused by multiple reasons such as dehydration, mouth breathing, medication, underlying health conditions, and sleep apnea. But it can be fixed by just following simple tips such as drinking warm water, avoiding consumption of caffeine and alcohol, avoiding smoking, and eating good and clean food at home only. But if the symptoms are persistent and don't go away even after home care, then see a doctor immediately.

References

Dry Mouth | NIDCR 

Dry Mouth: MedlinePlus

5 common questions about dry mouth | NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

Xerostomia - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf