The Stress Response of the body activates the autonomous nervous system. This means that your heart rate speeds up, your blood pressure increases and your breathing quickens. Adrenalin is released to help body muscles prepare for action. All of these body reactions cause a decrease of saliva flow, and therefore an increase in dry mouth. You should be aware of Stress Symptoms such as sleep disturbances, back, shoulder or neck pain,tension or migraine headaches, pre menopausal syndrome, upset stomach or irritable bowel syndrome.

Intake of alcohol. Most people do not realise but virtually all commercial mouthwash have alcohol as part of the mix. These alcohol levels can be as high as 25% in some of the more popular commercial brands. Although alcohol is excellent at killing bacteria, it also has a severe drying effect on mouth mucosa. In fact some studies have shown that daily use of mouthwash with alcohol could increase your risk of mouth cancer. So when you combine social alcohol consumption with daily mouthwash use, your alcohol input level can be quite high.

Intake of caffeine. Coffee is a stimulant no different to any stimulant drug you might take. Stimulants have the side effect of decreasing saliva flow, and thus increasing dryness of the mouth.

Intake of nicotine. When you smoke you reduce the oxygen intake in the mouth and increase carbon monoxide instead. Also you are triggering the nervous system, and in some cases increasing metabolism. All these factors lead to a slow down of saliva production and therefore an increase in dry mouth.

Acid foods and drinks. Healthy saliva is at a neutral pH of 7. What people do not realise is that most drinks increase acid content. In fact even carbonated water contains acid content. Have a look at the graph below.

Medication and general health. Most medicines have a dryness of the mouth or a taste change as a side effect. We are not advocating a change in medication, but that you should be aware that medicines can do these things. Medicines such as Blood Pressure Medication, Anti Depressant Medication, AntiHistamine Medication, Digestive Medication, Cholesterol Medication, to name just the main ones. Also you need to remember that as you get older, the body naturally slows down saliva production.

Recreational habits -sports/sports drinks. Acid drinks are most destructive during and after strenuous exercise and sport. This is because, sport and exercise will cause dehydration and thus a decrease in saliva flow. Once the protective saliva is lacking, the acids in the sports drinks can attack the enamel and tooth structure. So during sport the best solution is to stay hydrated and not use sports drinks.