Have you ever experienced dry mouth at night while sleeping? This feeling is not only uncomfortable but also makes you worry. A dry mouth can affect the quality of your sleep, causing you to wake up tired the next morning.

Mr. T, 60 years old, has had this problem for the past two years. He often feels thirsty, so he always has a water bottle next to him. However, despite drinking a lot of water, he still does not improve this condition and has to go to the toilet frequently, even at night. Having to wake up constantly makes it difficult for him to have a good night’s sleep.

However, Mr. T did not think it was a serious illness so he did not go to the doctor. It was only when his son noticed that he went to the toilet too much day and night that he took him to the hospital for a check-up. As a result, he was diagnosed with diabetes. After treatment, the dry mouth and frequent urination also improved significantly.

According to research archived at the National Library of Medicine (NIH), dry mouth often comes from reduced saliva production or changes in the biochemical composition of saliva. Dr. Mohammed Alsakran Altamimi, a physician at Al-Farabi University of Dentistry and Nursing (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), said that dry mouth can be a warning sign of diabetes. Although not the only symptom, this condition is quite common in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

After Mr. T was diagnosed with diabetes, many of his neighbors also began to worry. They wondered if they had the disease, because they also experienced dry mouth at night.

However, in fact, not all cases of dry mouth at night are due to diseases. This condition can result from common physical causes.

The bitter taste in your mouth

Having a bitter taste in your mouth is a condition in which the sense of taste is altered, causing the mouth to feel bitter. This condition can occur after eating bitter foods or due to other causes. Bitter mouth is often accompanied by some symptoms such as:

– Bitter feeling spreading down the throat.

– Loss of appetite, loss of appetite.

– Bad breath.

– Nausea.

Experiencing a bitter taste in your mouth can appear in the morning after waking up or at night. In some cases, the bitter feeling persists even after brushing teeth and rinsing mouth.

What causes dry mouth at night?

– Drink less water

The most common cause of dry mouth is dehydration. When there is not enough water, the body’s organs are prone to dryness, including the mouth. This condition can be improved by drinking enough water.

It is recommended that you drink at least 2 liters of water per day for your body to function effectively. Many people, due to their busy lifestyle, work, or drinking too much tea or coffee, dehydrate their bodies. Long sleep at night will cause the mouth to become dry and bitter.

In addition, dry mouth can also be caused by a number of other reasons:

– Decreased liver function

The liver is the organ that helps eliminate toxins from the body. When liver function is impaired over time or due to liver disease, it can lead to a bitter mouth. Bitter mouth due to decreased liver function does not only appear at night but can appear at any time of the day.

– Digestive disorders

Digestive disorders often cause abdominal pain, bloating, accompanied by constant belching or heartburn. Some cases also have symptoms of bitter mouth or bad breath. In particular, at night, if the patient eats foods that are difficult to digest, the bloating and bitter mouth can become more severe.

– Habit of sleeping with the mouth open

Some people have the habit of sleeping with their mouths open, causing a significant loss of moisture in the mouth, leading to dry mouth. In addition, sleeping positions such as lying on the stomach or sleeping on the side can also cause salivation, thereby causing abnormal dry mouth.

– Room air is too dry

The surrounding environment can also affect the moisture in the mouth. Using a heater in winter or air conditioning in summer can make the air in the room dry, increasing the risk of dry mouth. In this case, a humidifier should be used to maintain appropriate air humidity.

– Bile reflux

Bile reflux occurs when the pyloric valve is damaged. At this time, bile will reflux into the stomach and along with gastric juice reflux into the oral cavity. The patient will feel a bitter taste accompanied by abdominal pain.

– Gastroesophageal reflux

The stomach, like any organ in the body, needs to rest to work effectively. When you stay up too late, or starve your body regularly, the stomach will not get enough rest, causing increased gastric juice secretion.

And this is the factor that can cause you to have gastric reflux. You can easily recognize it if you are a person with a nocturnal lifestyle, often staying up late.

– Hormonal changes during pregnancy

If you are pregnant and occasionally feel a bitter taste in your mouth at night, this is not too worrying. During pregnancy, hormonal disorders can affect the taste buds, causing pregnant women to perceive different flavors. In particular, in the first three months of pregnancy, morning sickness can also cause a bitter taste in the mouth.

If the bitter taste persists and affects eating, pregnant women can consult a doctor to use some medications to help reduce morning sickness symptoms.

According to the US National Library of Medicine, about 22% of the population experiences dry mouth while sleeping.

This can be a warning sign of some underlying diseases, especially the following 5 diseases:

1. Liver and biliary diseases

Liver and biliary problems can cause obvious symptoms of dry mouth, accompanied by a bitter taste in the mouth that lasts even when drinking water. This happens because the liver plays an important role in secreting bile and supporting digestion. When liver function is impaired, the bile excretion process is disrupted, leading to bile reflux, affecting sleep quality and causing dry mouth and dry tongue.

In addition, liver and biliary diseases can also cause jaundice, especially the skin and eyes. If you experience both of these symptoms at the same time, it is very likely that the liver and bile are sending a “sOS signal”.

2. Oral diseases

Oral diseases can also be the cause of dry mouth. In addition to feeling dry, the patient may experience bad breath, toothache, and swollen gums. If you have these signs, you should see a dentist for timely diagnosis and treatment. When oral diseases are controlled, dry mouth symptoms will also improve.

3. Respiratory diseases

People with chronic lung disease often experience dry mouth. If dry mouth is accompanied by symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing, it is likely a sign of respiratory problems.

4. Thyroid disease

When the thyroid gland produces too much hormone, the body’s metabolic rate increases abnormally, causing the sympathetic nervous system to always be in a state of stimulation. This increases the rate of water digestion in the body, leading to dry mouth.

5. Diabetes

Two typical signs of diabetes are thirst and frequent urination. High blood sugar levels irritate the oral mucosa, leading to dry mouth. When the body feels dry mouth, it sends a signal to the brain to stimulate drinking water. Drinking more water causes more urination, but after a short time, the dry mouth feeling may return.

How to prevent dry mouth, bitter mouth

Dry mouth is a common symptom that can have a significant impact on daily life. When experiencing this condition, you should see a doctor promptly for appropriate treatment. At the same time, you can apply some of the following measures to prevent it:

Maintain a healthy diet

Eat enough meals, add lots of fruits and vegetables.

Limit spicy, cold or strongly stimulating foods.

Keep a scientific lifestyle

Brush your teeth at least twice a day, at least 2 minutes each time.

Sleep on time, avoid staying up late to avoid hormonal disorders, which can easily lead to dry mouth.

Limit eating close to bedtime

Although eating late at night can be an irresistible hobby, it puts a lot of pressure on the stomach. When you go to bed right after eating, the stomach still has to continue working after a long day, making the digestion process more difficult.

This not only affects sleep but can also cause stomach pain, bloating, and belching. In addition, this habit also increases the risk of gastroesophageal reflux, causing a bitter taste in the mouth at night.

Pay attention to sleeping position

You should sleep on your back, avoid lying on your side or stomach because it can cause salivation, causing loss of moisture in the oral cavity.

Exercise regularly

Exercise helps increase metabolism, supports the body in eliminating toxins, keeps the endocrine system working stably, thereby helping to prevent dry mouth effectively.

Maintaining the above habits will help you reduce the risk of dry mouth and protect your health better.