What Causes Dry Throat?
Dry throat is dryness of the pharynx and/or oral cavity. It can be due to a lack of saliva, which is normally produced by salivary glands in the mouth. There are three pairs of major salivary glands that produce saliva:
1) Parotid glands located just outside each ear;
2) Submandibular (submaxillary) glands found just below the jawbone on both sides of the face;
3) Sublingual glands located under the tongue. The average person produces about a quart of saliva daily. Saliva helps keep food moist before swallowing, starts chemical digestion with enzymes like amylase, washes food particles from teeth while chewing (and speaking), buffers acid in the mouth, and helps keep oral mucosal tissue lubricated.
Saliva production can decrease because of various medications, radiation therapy to the head and neck areas, Sjogren’s syndrome (a chronic disease), dehydration, increased respiratory secretions which occur in some lung diseases like chronic bronchitis, and emphysema, allergies to pollens, or other substances in the air.
Also, if the person is suffering from any infection then dryness of the throat occurs due to that particular infection. Some people experience a “lump-in-throat” feeling frequently – this might be associated with bacteria present in microorganisms which are known as tonsilloliths also called tonsil stones.
This condition has nothing to do with swallowing. It doesn’t matter whether you swallow or spit out saliva. If saliva becomes too thick or thin, it can irritate the throat and cause dryness. This is because of a lack of saliva present in the mouth cavity.
Saliva production can decrease because of various medications, radiation therapy to the head and neck areas, Sjogren’s syndrome (a chronic disease), dehydration, increased respiratory secretions which occur in some lung diseases like chronic bronchitis, and emphysema, allergies to pollens, or other substances in the air. Sometimes tumor pressing on the salivary gland also causes dry throat
Swallowing disorders include:
1) Difficulty swallowing solids such as food; dysphagia for liquids such as water is less common than for solids;
2) Regurgitation of undigested food
3) Coughing following meals is also associated with swallowing disorders. The cough reflex can be activated if solids enter the airway rather than the esophagus, or if liquids reflux into the airway rather than going to the stomach. This can cause choking and even death in severe cases.
Some people experience a “lump-in-throat” feeling frequently – this might be associated with bacteria present in microorganisms which are known as tonsilloliths also called tonsil stones.
Dry throat has many causes, including:
– Dehydration
– Allergies to pollens, or other substances in the air
– Side effects of certain medication
– Increased respiratory secretions occur in some lung diseases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Causes of Dry throat:
1) Allergies to pollens, or other substances in the air
2) Sjogren’s syndrome (a chronic disease)
3) Dehydration
4) Increased respiratory secretions occur in some lung diseases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
5) Side effects of certain medications
6) Radiation therapy to head & neck area
7) Tonsilloliths are also called tonsil stones
8) Cancer
Some foods can cause dryness in your mouth when eaten, including spicy or acidic foods that irritate the lining of the mouth, crunchy sweets like hard candy that crack and scrape teeth, popcorn because of its high starch content, dry toast, or crackers. Sugar-free gum can also stimulate saliva production, which helps prevent plaque buildup on teeth.
Coffee and tea:
caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea actually increase the production of saliva in some people but then they drink them with a straw which decreases the contact between mouth & liquid completely so again it is counterproductive for those who have dry mouth as a result of radiation therapy to head & neck area.
Apart from these, there are many other causes of Dry throat such as:
1) Helicobacter pylori infection
2) Tonsilloliths also called tonsil stones
3) Viral infections
4) Coughing
5) Sore throats
6) Cancer.
If you notice any of these signs or symptoms, it is important to see your primary care doctor right away:
1) Unexplained weight loss
2) Difficulty swallowing solids such as food; dysphagia for liquids such as water is less common than for solids
3) Regurgitation of undigested food
4) Coughing following meals is also associated with swallowing disorders. The cough reflex can be activated if solids enter the airway rather than the esophagus, or if liquids reflux into the airway rather than going to the stomach. This can cause choking and even death in severe cases.
5) If you notice any other changes such as pain or lumps, fever, fatigue, chronic headaches or earaches, weakness or numbness anywhere in the body, speech difficulties, or hoarseness- these could be signs of cancer and need immediate medical attention.
what causes dry throat at night:
Dry mouth is caused by the reduced amount of saliva produced in your mouth. Dry mouth accounts for around 80% of all cases of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
The medical term for this condition is “xerostomia”. Other causes of dry mouth include medications, breathing through the mouth instead of the nose, radiation treatment to the head and neck, diabetes, Sjogren’s disease, menopause (in some women), overuse of alcohol or tobacco products.
Now let me introduce you to the nighttime dry throat that can be caused by many underlying conditions like snoring or sleep apnea, use of sleeping pills, etc. According to research in most cases, it is brought on by sleep deprivation itself. The end result is a lack of sufficient restorative sleep which might lead to several health issues if left untreated.
Another cause could be acid reflux. At night when the body rests, the food pipe also rests. If there is a lack of oxygen in the body it can lead to acidity and other stomach problems which might cause a dry throat at night.
Coughing or sinus congestion can also trigger a dry throat at night because of phlegm formation in the throat. It requires immediate medical attention to be able to get rid of this problem.
In case you are suffering from chronic dehydration, your body may not produce enough saliva during sleep time which could lead to daytime or nighttime dryness in your throat. Dehydration occurs when people lose more fluid than they take in. To fight this problem make sure you drink plenty of water and eat healthy and hydrating foods like fruits, veggies, and soups.
If you are suffering from acid reflux the best way to avoid a dry throat at night is by following an alkaline-based diet. It means eating more fresh, organic fruits and veggies while avoiding meat, chicken fish, etc.
If you do not follow this type of diet then it’s better to go for natural remedies that will help with the problem. There are many home remedies people use in order to get rid of a sore throat at night.
Some examples are drinking hot fluids like lemon tea mixed with honey, using humidifiers or vaporizers in sleeping areas (rooms), taking steam baths before going to bed, etc. But all these remedies can be effective only when there is no underlying illness that might require prescription medication in order to heal.
Dry throat no cough:
A cough is a sudden and often repetitively occurring reflex that helps your lungs get rid of any irritants that may be present in them. It can be either acute or chronic depending on its duration, symptoms it causes, and how fast it heals. A dry cough might develop as a symptom if you have allergies such as hay fever, asthma, etc.,
If you suffer from some type of respiratory infection like bronchitis or pneumonia then it can lead to more complications such as dry throat, chest pain, fever, and some other symptoms too.
When an infection affects the bronchi (the large air passages) and small airways of the lungs the mucus lining gets inflamed and swollen which results in excess production of mucus. The mucus serves as a protective layer that catches germs and bacteria, especially in the lungs.
The excess mucus secretion could lead to a dry throat at night because there is an insufficient amount of saliva in your mouth which acts as a natural lubricant for your throat when you swallow it. To get rid of this problem you should drink plenty of fluids, avoid smoking or any other irritants, take steam baths before going to bed, gargle with salt water several times a day in order to keep the infection from spreading further.
waking up with a dry throat:
Lack of sufficient sleep or poor quality of sleep could lead to waking up with a dry throat in the morning. Daytime sleepiness, fatigue, etc., are some other symptoms that can make you feel unmotivated and exhausted all the time.
There are many reasons for this but most importantly it’s an indication of a lack of restorative deep sleep needed for your body to heal. In order to avoid waking up with a dry throat at night, it is important not to skip meals or eat irregularly during the day because it will affect your sleeping pattern too.