The causes of dry mouth, burning tongue, bitterness are symptoms of what disease?

The causes of dry mouth, burning tongue, bitterness are symptoms of what disease?

29.10.2014

Dry mouth - medically called xerostomia, is a symptom of many diseases or temporary conditions of the body in which the production of saliva decreases or stops altogether. This condition can occur for many reasons. Dry mouth occurs with atrophy of the salivary glands, and with any infectious diseases of the respiratory system, and with diseases of the nervous system, with gastrointestinal diseases, with autoimmune diseases, etc.

Sometimes the feeling of dry mouth is temporary, due to an exacerbation of any chronic diseases or taking medications. But when dry mouth is a sign of a serious illness, first there is itching of the oral mucosa, cracks, burning of the tongue, dry throat, and without adequate treatment of the cause of this symptom, partial or complete atrophy of the mucous membrane may develop, which is very dangerous. Therefore, if a person constantly has dry mouth, you should definitely consult a doctor in order to establish a true diagnosis and begin treatment on time.

Which doctor should I contact if I have dry mouth? The cause of this symptom will first be determined by a therapist who will refer the patient either to a dentist or to an infectious disease specialist, neurologist, gastroenterologist, otolaryngologist, etc., who will establish an accurate diagnosis. Typically, dry mouth is not a single symptom; it is always accompanied by other signs of some kind of disorder, so most often a person may be bothered by the following symptoms:

Thirst, frequent urination

Dry throat, nose. Your throat may hurt and it may be difficult to swallow due to dryness.

A bright border of the lips and cracks in the corners of the mouth appear

The viscosity in the mouth makes speech slurred

There is a burning sensation, the tongue becomes dry, it becomes red, hard, the tongue itches

Changes in the taste of food and drinks

There is a stench, bad breath

Your voice may become hoarse.

What to do if a person has such a symptom? Dry mouth is a sign of what disease?

The main causes of dry mouth

-Dry mouth in the morning, after sleep, at night bothers a person, and during the day this symptom is absent; this is the most harmless, banal reason. Dry mouth at night occurs due to mouth breathing or snoring during sleep.

— Impaired nasal breathing, can be caused by a deviated nasal septum, nasal polyps, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, runny nose, sinusitis)

-As a side effect from the use of a lot of medications. This is a very common side effect that can be caused by many drugs, especially if several drugs are taken at once and the manifestation becomes more pronounced. Dry mouth can occur when using the following medications of different pharmacological groups in the treatment: all types of antibiotics, antifungal drugs in tablets, sedatives, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, drugs prescribed for mental disorders, for the treatment of enuresis, antihistamines (allergy tablets), painkillers, bronchodilators medications for obesity for the treatment of acne (see medications for acne) medications for diarrhea, vomiting and others.

-Obvious is the appearance of this symptom in various infectious diseases, due to high temperature, general intoxication. Also for viral infections affecting the salivary glands, blood supply systems, and affecting the production of saliva, for example, with mumps (mumps).

- Systemic diseases and diseases of internal organs - diabetes mellitus (dry mouth and thirst), anemia, HIV infection, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, Sjögren's syndrome (dry mouth, eyes, vagina), hypotension (dry mouth and dizziness), rheumatoid arthritis.

— Radiation and chemotherapy for cancer also reduces saliva production. —Surgeries and head injuries can damage the integrity of the nerves and salivary glands.

-Dehydration. Any disease that causes increased sweating, fever, chills, diarrhea, vomiting, blood loss can lead to drying of the mucous membranes and dehydration, which is manifested by dry mouth, the causes of which are understandable and this eliminates itself after recovery.

— Injury to the salivary glands during dental procedures or other surgical interventions.

-You may also have a dry mouth after smoking. -Persistent dry mouth significantly increases the risk of developing various gum diseases, such as gingivitis (symptoms). As well as the appearance of candidiasis, fungal stomatitis, caries, chronic tonsillitis and other diseases of the oral cavity, since disruption of the salivary glands reduces the protective functions of the mucous membrane, opening the way to various infections.

If, in addition to dry mouth, a person is bothered by bitterness in the mouth, nausea, the tongue becomes white or yellow, dizziness, palpitations, dryness is also observed in the eyes, in the vagina, a constant feeling of thirst and frequent urination, etc. - this is a whole complex of various diseases, which can only be understood by a qualified doctor during an in-person consultation. We will look at some diseases in which dry mouth may be combined with some other symptoms.

Dry mouth during pregnancy

Xerostomia during pregnancy should not occur with normal drinking regimen, since, on the contrary, saliva production in pregnant women increases.

However, in cases of naturally hot air in summer, increased sweating can cause a similar symptom. Another thing is that if a pregnant woman's dry mouth is accompanied by a sour, metallic taste, this may indicate gestational diabetes and the woman should undergo a blood glucose test, as well as a glucose tolerance test. During pregnancy, women have to urinate quite often, and if periodic dry mouth occurs, the reason is that fluid is removed from the body, the need for it increases, and replenishment does not occur, so pregnant women must drink enough fluid. Therefore, pregnant women are not allowed to eat salty, sweet and spicy foods, everything that contributes to the disruption of water-salt metabolism. Also, the cause of dry mouth during pregnancy can be a severe deficiency of potassium, as well as an excess of magnesium.

Dryness around the mouth is a sign of cheilitis

Glandular cheilitis is a disease of the red border of the lips, a disease that begins with flaking and dryness of the lower lip, then the corners of the lips crack, jams and erosions appear. A sign of cheilitis can be seen by the person himself - between the border of the lips and the mucous membrane, the outlets of the salivary glands increase. Licking your lips only worsens the situation and chronic inflammation can lead to malignant neoplasms. When treating this disease, they try to reduce the production of saliva. Why does dry mouth, bitterness, nausea, white, yellow tongue occur?

Bitterness in the mouth, dryness, yellow coating on the tongue, white tongue, heartburn, belching - these are symptoms that can occur with many gastrointestinal diseases, but most often these are signs of the following diseases:

Dyskinesia of the bile ducts or diseases of the gallbladder. But it is possible that such signs can also be present in combination with duodenitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, as well as gastritis.

Dry mouth, bitterness - the reasons may be due to inflammatory processes of the gums, combined with a burning sensation of the tongue, gums, and a metallic taste in the mouth.

For amenorrhea, neuroses, psychosis and other neurotic disorders.

If bitterness and dryness are combined with pain in the right side, these are signs of cholecystitis or the presence of gallstones.

The use of various antibiotics and antihistamines leads to a combination of bitterness and dry mouth.

In diseases of the thyroid gland, the motor function of the biliary tract also changes, the release of adrenaline increases and spasms of the bile ducts occur, so the tongue may be coated with a white or yellow coating, dry mouth, bitterness, and burning of the tongue appear.

Dry mouth and nausea occur with gastritis of the stomach, the symptoms of which include pain in the stomach, heartburn, and a feeling of fullness. The causative agent of gastritis is often the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.

Dry mouth, dizziness

Dizziness and dry mouth are signs of hypotension, that is, low blood pressure. A lot of people have low blood pressure and still feel normal, this is a variant of the norm. But when low pressure leads to weakness, dizziness, headache in the back of the head, especially when bending forward or lying down, this is an alarming sign, since a sharp drop in pressure is a hypotonic crisis, shock, this is very dangerous for health and even life. People with hypotension often feel dizzy and have dry mouth in the morning, and weakness and lethargy returns in the evening. Poor circulation affects the functions of all organs and glands, including the salivary glands. Therefore, headaches, dizziness, and dry mouth are observed. The cause of hypotinia should be determined in consultation with a cardiologist and therapist, who can prescribe maintenance therapy.

Thirst, frequent urination and dryness - this could be diabetes

Dry mouth combined with thirst is the main sign and symptom of diabetes. If a person is constantly thirsty, has to urinate frequently, there is either a sharp increase in appetite and weight gain, or vice versa, weight loss, dry mouth all the time, congestion in the corners of the mouth, itchy skin, weakness and the presence of pustular skin lesions - you should take a glucose test in blood. Signs of diabetes in women are also complemented by the appearance of itching in the vagina and itching in the pubic area. In men, symptoms of diabetes can be expressed by decreased potency and inflammation of the foreskin. Thirst and dry mouth in diabetic patients do not depend on the air temperature; if for a healthy person thirst is typical in the heat, after salty food or alcohol, then in those who suffer from diabetes it is constant.

Dryness with pancreatitis, with menopause

For pancreatitis

Dry mouth, diarrhea, pain in the left abdomen, belching, nausea, flatulence are characteristic symptoms of pancreatitis. Sometimes minor inflammation of the pancreas can go unnoticed. This is a very insidious and dangerous disease that occurs most often in people who overeat, are addicted to fatty, fried foods, and alcohol. During attacks of pancreatitis, the symptoms are very vivid, a person experiences severe pain, while the movement of enzymes in the pancreatic ducts is disrupted, they linger in it and destroy its cells, causing intoxication of the body. With chronic pancreatitis, a person must follow a diet, know what can and cannot be eaten with pancreatitis. This disease leads to disruption of the absorption of many useful substances in the body. Deficiency of vitamins (see vitamin deficiency, hypovitaminosis), microelements disrupts the normal condition of the skin and mucous membranes. Therefore, dullness and brittleness of hair and nails occur, dry mouth appears, and cracks in the corners of the mouth.

During menopause Palpitations, dizziness, dry mouth and eyes - the causes of these symptoms can be menopause in women. During menopause, the production of sex hormones decreases, the functions of the gonads fade, which naturally affects the general condition of the woman. The first signs of menopause in women appear due to changes in the function of the autonomic nervous system, usually after 45 years. The symptoms of menopause intensify significantly if a woman has suffered a stressful situation, trauma, or her chronic disease has worsened; this immediately affects her general condition and is called menopausal syndrome. In addition to hot flashes, anxiety, chills, pain in the heart and joints, sleep disturbances, women notice that all mucous membranes dry out, not only dryness appears in the mouth, but also in the eyes, throat, and vagina.

The manifestation of most of these symptoms becomes less intense when the gynecologist prescribes various drugs for menopause - antidepressants, sedatives, vitamins, hormonal and non-hormonal drugs for menopause. Signs of menopause are mitigated by practicing Bodyflex, breathing exercises or yoga, with a balanced diet and proper rest.

Dry mouth and eyes - Sjögren's syndrome

This is a fairly rare autoimmune disease that affects the connective tissue of the body (see the symptoms of Sjögren's syndrome in detail). Few people know about this disease, and it most often occurs in women after 50 years of age in the postmenopausal period. Sjögren's syndrome is characterized by generalized dryness of all mucous membranes of the body. Therefore, symptoms such as burning, stinging in the eyes, a feeling of sand in the eyes, as well as a dry mouth, dry throat, and stickiness in the corners of the mouth are important signs of autoimmune disorders. This chronic progressive disease over time affects not only the salivary and lacrimal glands, but also affects the joints, muscles, the skin becomes very dry, pain and itching appears in the vagina. Also, various infectious diseases more often arise from dry mucous membranes - sinusitis, otitis media, sinusitis, tracheobronchitis, atrophic gastritis, pancreatitis, etc.

Increased dryness, diarrhea, weakness, stomach pain

In case of any food poisoning, when diarrhea (diarrhea), nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain occurs, dehydration occurs and dry mouth appears. The cause of its appearance may also be irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), intestinal dysbiosis. If indigestion or dyspepsia lasts more than 3 months, a gastroenterologist may diagnose IBS or dibacteriosis. Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract has many causes, including the use of various medications, antibiotics, and poor nutrition.

The main symptoms of IBS are:

Pain in the epigastric region after eating, which goes away with bowel movements. Diarrhea in the morning, after lunch, or vice versa - constipation. Belching, bloating. Feeling of a “lump” in the stomach. Sleep disturbances, weakness, lethargy, headaches. After a stressful situation, anxiety, or physical activity, the symptoms worsen.

How to get rid of dry mouth

To begin with, you should find out the exact cause of dry mouth, since without a clear diagnosis it is impossible to eliminate any symptom. If the cause of dry mouth is caused by impaired nasal breathing, gastrointestinal diseases, or diabetes, you should consult an otolaryngologist, gastroenterologist, or endocrinologist. Try to get rid of bad habits - smoking, alcohol abuse, reduce the consumption of salty and fried foods, crackers, nuts, bread, etc. Increase the amount of liquid you drink; it is best to drink a glass of pure water or mineral water without gases 30 minutes before meals. Sometimes it is enough to increase the humidity in the room; there are many different humidifiers for this purpose. You can lubricate your lips with special balms. If you have bad breath, you can use chewing gum or special mouth rinses. You can use pharmacological special preparations, saliva and tear substitutes. When you eat hot peppers, you can activate the production of saliva, since it contains capsaicin, which helps activate the salivary glands.

Bad taste in the mouth

(bitter, sour, metallic)

An aftertaste in the mouth may linger for some time after eating very sour, spicy or overcooked foods. But if unpleasant sensations bother you with frequent frequency and are not associated with dietary habits, there is a reason to consult a gastroenterologist - perhaps this is the way the digestive tract signals its problems.

Causes of taste disturbance

Different tastes may indicate different disorders. Bitterness in the mouth is usually caused by:

• Pathologies of the liver, biliary tract (stones, cholecystitis, dyskinesia). In these diseases, the movement of bile through the ducts is disrupted. Bile stagnates, then is thrown into the stomach and further into the esophagus, from where it enters the oral cavity.
• Lazy bowel syndrome. Accompanied by a slowdown in the process of digesting food. Food is retained in the gastrointestinal tract, and with it digestive juices, including bile.

A sour taste often indicates problems with the stomach:

• ulcer,
• hyperacid gastritis,
• reflux esophagitis.

These diseases are characterized by increased formation of hydrochloric acid, which can rise up the digestive tract, reaching the oral cavity. Patients experience especially severe discomfort when lying down.

A metallic taste may be a sign of:

• Xerostomia (insufficient salivation). Accompanied by a pronounced feeling of dry mouth, burning sensation on the tongue and difficulty swallowing.
• Hemorrhagic gastritis. Small ulcers form in the stomach, from which blood periodically oozes. It is this that creates a specific taste in the mouth.
• Foreign body in the stomach. The condition can also be complicated by bleeding.
• Galvanose. This problem sometimes occurs in people with metal dentures in their mouths.

Diagnosis and treatment

At the appointment, the gastroenterologist asks the patient about complaints, clarifies the presence of accompanying symptoms and conducts a general examination. To confirm the diagnosis you may need:

• general and biochemical blood tests,
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity,
• gastroscopy,
• pH-metry,
• analysis for Helicobacter pylori.

Therapy is selected based on the results of the examination. Patients with signs of bleeding are subject to mandatory hospitalization.

You can get a consultation with a gastroenterologist and undergo the necessary tests at the Spectra clinic. We have experienced specialists who will help determine the exact cause of the disorders and select effective treatment. Reception is by appointment only.