Mouth dryness is common due to deficient of saliva. This is called as xerostomia. A short of saliva upsets the microenvironment within the mouth by
1. Reducing saliva within mouth, like the mouth lining, tongue, teeth and gum due to talking and chewing something. As a result tiny lacerations (cuts) within the mouth, causing pain and uneasiness to an infection.
2. Increasing the possibility of infections. The mouth is swarming with bacteria and even fungal spores and by reducing saliva quantity; that affects the pH within the mouth.
Causes of Dry Mouth
There are many causes of mouth dryness which may not be related to any disease or medical disorder.
Sleep- Saliva production reduces during sleep. Bacteria is enter within the mouth due to lack of saliva during we are asleep. Thereby resulting we suffer from difficult breathing in the morning.
Dehydration- Dryness of epithelial lining throughout the body, including the mouth, saliva production due to dehydration means a lack of water and electrolytes.
Mouth breathing. During breathing through mouth will cause dryness of the mouth lining due to flow of air.
Excessive intake of carbohydrates – Taking high quantity of sweets, sugar, starchy foods or refined carbohydrate products, like flour (wheat) or corn meal these are cause dryness of mouth.
Age-related dryness of the mouth affects the elderly and often causes difficulty with dentures. The reduced saliva is a normal physiological process associated with aging.
Treatment of Mouth Dryness
Treatment of a dry mouth should be directed at the cause or any improvement will be short lived. However there are a number of drugs available to stimulate saliva production, especially for conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome, where the dryness is very pronounced.
Alternatively artificial mouth moistening products may be used in toothpaste, mouth rinse, lozenge or spray form and these can be prescribed by a dentist if other conditions have been excluded.
“Fluid in the lungs “refers to a bubbling sound in the lungs (rales) when breathing. The fluid is accumulated inside the lung (pulmonary edema) or outside the lung (pleural effusion), in the space between the lung and chest wall.The most common cause for fluid inside the lungs is mucus, that is produced by the lining of the respiratory tract.
Causes of Fluid Inside the Lungs
1. Bronchitis is the most common cause of mucus in the lungs that is characterized by continual coughing that is developed after the common ‘cold’ or flu as a result of a secondary bacterial infection.
2. Infections may cause hyper secretion of mucus in the respiratory area and this includes viral like swine flu, bacteria, and fungi, parasitic.
3. Pneumonia means “lung water” or fluid with a thinner viscosity that may cause due to swelling of the lung tissue. It may be due to gastric contents that are aspirated from the stomach into the lungs.
4. Allergies often result in increased mucus production that may cause irritation of the bronchioles and mucus in the chest of asthmatics.
5. Renal failure may cause pulmonary edema as a result the kidneys are unable to filter toxins in the blood.
6. Smoke inhalation may cause severe inflammation of the lung tissue, that results in fluid accumulation in the lungs.
7. Drug side effects may result in pulmonary edema and this includes OTC (over-the-counter) or prescription drugs, narcotics or anesthetics.
Treatment of Fluid in the Lungs
Treatment is dependent on the cause of the fluid in the lungs. Some of the treatment options may include for different causes.
• Antibiotics, antiviral or antifungal is necessary in the case of an infection.
• Diuretics help with passing out additional fluid from the lung but that is not applicable for cardiac diseases patient.
• Antihistamines may be compulsory in allergic reactions • Corticosteroids may be useful for controlling inflammation and mucus production, as in asthma, and this may be used long term to prevent acute attacks.
• Chest drainage with a tube may be necessary for an empyema or a therapeutic thoracentesis may be required for a pleural effusion.
• Anti-hypertensive drugs may be administered in cases of high blood pressure.
• Oxygen is administered in severe cases of fluid in the lungs where proper gas exchange is impaired..
• Physiotherapy may be necessary to assist with mucus drainage.