Dry mouth is a condition that occurs when the salivary glands do not produce enough saliva. Older adults and people who take certain medications are more prone to dry mouth. It can be extremely irritating however the good news is that it is rarely a sign of anything serious.

Dry mouth can be caused by medications, medical conditions, dehydration and age-related changes.

The treatment for dry mouth depends on the underlying cause. It may involve:

• Saliva substitutes: Saliva substitutes can help relieve dry mouth.
• Chewing gum: Chewing sugar-free gum can help stimulate saliva production.
• Drinking plenty of fluids: Drinking plenty of fluids can help prevent dry mouth.

You should see your GP if you have a dry mouth and:

• it makes it difficult when talking or eating
• your mouth is still dry after trying home or pharmacy treatments for a few weeks
• you're struggling to eat regularly
• you're having problems with your sense of taste that are not going away
• your mouth is painful, red, swollen or bleeding
• you have sore white patches in your mouth
• you think a prescribed medicine might be causing your dry mouth
• you have other symptoms, like needing to pee a lot or dry eyes

The GP can check what the cause might be and recommend treatment for it.