{"id":18572,"date":"2021-02-01T18:13:27","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T23:13:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=18572"},"modified":"2025-04-22T14:37:28","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T18:37:28","slug":"medications-that-cause-dry-mouth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/medications-that-cause-dry-mouth\/","title":{"rendered":"12 medications that cause dry mouth (and how to treat it)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dry mouth is a condition in which the salivary glands don\u2019t produce enough saliva to keep the mouth moist. The causes of dry mouth range from underlying diseases like Sjogren\u2019s syndrome to sleeping with an open mouth and radiation therapy for cancer treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Open-mouth breathers tend to have dry mouth as well. If someone snores, it may be good to look at the underlying cause of the snoring. If someone has had an injury to one of the craniofacial nerves, that would also be a cause of dry mouth. One can always be evaluated by an oral surgeon to examine the craniofacial nerves. Dry mouth can also be a sign of aging. There are even medications that can cause dry mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Oral dryness can be very uncomfortable and even cause health problems. Let\u2019s examine what medications cause dry mouth and how to treat it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can medications cause dry mouth?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Numerous medications on the market have dry mouth (xerostomia) as a side effect, and some are more likely than others to cause the condition. Medications that cause dry mouth do so by affecting the sympathetic nervous system and thereby thickening and slowing down the production of saliva. According to the American Academy of Oral Medicine, over 1,110 medications have the potential to cause dry mouth.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that nearly half of all adults in the U.S. take at least one prescription medication per day, many of which can produce dry mouth. It\u2019s estimated that at least 31 million Americans have dry mouth, and that 11 million of these cases are due to medications. Dry mouth may seem like it\u2019s just an uncomfortable condition, but it can actually lead to more serious complications like sore throat, bad breath, problems wearing dentures, tooth decay, oral infections, gum disease, thrush, and mouth sores.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at some of the medications that can cause dry mouth\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

12 medications that cause dry mouth\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The following types of medications are associated with higher incidences of dry mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Alzheimer\u2019s disease medications<\/span><\/h3>\n

Dry mouth tends to be more prevalent among older adults, and older adults who take Alzheimer\u2019s disease medications are even more likely to experience dry mouth. Some of the most common Alzheimer\u2019s disease medications that can cause dry mouth are:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n