What to do if a child has dry mouth?

Some parents notice that the child has begun to consume a huge amount of water. The child is tormented by constant thirst, and this cannot but cause questions and concerns from mom and dad. Why dry mouth develops and what to do about it, we will tell in this material.

What it is

The feeling of thirst, dry mouth is familiar to everyone. In some situations, it is short-lived, transient and can be easily eliminated by simply giving the child a drink. However, a state of prolonged dryness, when thirst cannot be eliminated with water, should alert parents, since this symptom may indicate a disease.

Insufficient production of saliva, which causes a feeling of "dryness" in the mouth, in medicine is called xerostomia. With a small amount of saliva, dysfunction of the salivary glands, a burning sensation appears in the region of the tongue, larynx, the mucous membranes of the oral cavity dry out.

In addition to unpleasant sensations, the situation also poses a certain danger, because saliva is necessary for the body - it is also an antiseptic for teeth and mouth provided by nature, and an essential component of normal digestion. Its lack affects and on the condition of the tooth enamel, and on the work of the gastrointestinal tract.

Therefore, in order to help the child, it is important to find and eliminate the true cause of the insufficient activity of the salivary glands, since xerostomia is not considered an independent disease.

Causes

Very often, dry mouth is a side effect of medications, especially if the child is taking different drugs from different pharmacological groups. Such xerostomia goes away on its own in a day or two after stopping the medication.

A list of diseases that may accompany dry mouth not related to medication big enough:

diabetes;
HIV infection;
anemia associated with a lack of iron in the body;

Stein's syndrome;
kidney disease;
problems with the thyroid gland;
"Mumps" (infectious mumps).

That is why it is important to find the cause and start the appropriate treatment.

Temporary dry mouth can be associated with a high fever, for example, with an illness of any ARVI, flu. "Drought" in the mouth appears after vomiting, repeated diarrhea, in cases of large blood loss, as well as in burns.

Xerostomia may appear after traumatic brain injury... So, with a brain injury, the salivary glands may not start working at full strength due to neurogenic factors. Sometimes in especially impressionable and vulnerable children, dry mouth can be associated with strong emotions. Psychogenic xerostomia can lie in wait for a baby in moments of intense excitement, fear and even joy.

In adolescents, dry mouth can be associated with hormonal changes that accompany puberty. This is considered a variant of the norm.

Dry mouth, which occurs at night, during sleep, and, as a result, constant awakening of the child to drink, may indicate that he has a runny nose, nasal breathing is difficult, there are problems with adenoids, the nasal septum is curved, growth begins polyps in the nose or the air in the room is simply too dry.

Sometimes the development of xerostomia is caused by excessive concern of the parents, who make the child often rinse his mouth with various mouthwashes with antimicrobial and refreshing effects during the day. These compounds are capable of causing atrophy of the salivary glands, and a dry tongue is just a small part of the possible health problems in this case.

Thus, a prolonged state of dry mouth is a reason for contacting a pediatrician, who will prescribe all the examinations necessary to establish a diagnosis.

Symptoms

In addition to a burning sensation and dryness in the mouth, which manifests itself in a constant demand for water, parents may notice and other clinical manifestations of xerostomia:

change in taste, violation of taste sensations - the child can confuse bitter and sour, bitter and salty;
private inflammatory processes in the mouth - from stomatitis to periodontal disease;
deep grooves in the tongue, frothy saliva.

In fact, the manifestations of the symptom depend on the stage in which the problem is.

At the very beginning of the pathological process, when some of the salivary glands retain their functions, dryness can be felt only after a long conversation. Normally functioning glands compensate for the dysfunction of the affected.

At the height corresponding to the second stage, compensatory mechanisms are no longer enough, which becomes noticeable. It is difficult for the child to eat, to speak, he asks for water all the time, even when he eats enough moist food.

At the third stage, the feeling of dryness does not leave the child; in addition to difficulties with eating and speaking, he has erosion and small ulcers in the mouth. The lips become dry and can often crack. The child begins to have dental health problems due to caries, which affects one tooth or the other; he becomes a frequent visitor to the dental office.

Diagnostics

If a child has similar symptoms, parents should definitely visit a pediatrician. At the same time, they will have to remember what medications the baby took in the last 2-3 weeks, whether he fell, whether there were head bruises.

The doctor for complaints of dry mouth prescribes Ultrasound of the salivary glands and sialography. In addition, blood, urine and feces are taken from the child for analysis. Also, parents receive a referral for a consultation with a dentist.

As part of the examination, consultations with other doctors may be recommended, because the root of the problem may lie in one of the areas of medicine he knows. The child can be referred to a gastroenterologist, ENT, nephrologist, neurologist and endocrinologist.

Treatment

Treatment will depend on what cause of dryness is identified during the examination. To alleviate the condition during the main treatment, which may take a fairly long time, the child may be prescribed subcutaneous administration of the solution Galantamine.

Oral cavity dentists often advise lubricate with an oil solution of vitamin A, this will contribute to more effective healing of cracks and wounds, since due to the lack of saliva, the likelihood of infection of such wounds is increased.

In some cases, novocaine blockade may be indicated - the introduction of novocaine into the parotid and submandibular salivary glands.

Good results are obtained physiotherapy... In particular, galvanic stimulation of the salivary gland, electrophoresis and vibration massage.

The child is shown frequent drinking. You should give non-carbonated unsweetened mineral or ordinary water, make sure that the child uses it in small sips, fractionally, but often. You will also have to take a bottle of water with you for a walk, since active games in the fresh air dry out the mucous membranes of the oral cavity.

All stages of this unpleasant symptom can be corrected, with the exception of situations associated with complete atrophy of the salivary glands, but such situations, fortunately, in childhood occur extremely rarely.

Useful Tips

Doctors recommend:

To stimulate the work of the salivary glands, you can buy sugar-free lollipops for your child. Sour candies will help produce saliva. For the same purpose, you can give your child sugar-free chewing gum if, by age, he can already use it correctly, without trying to eat it, swallow it or choke.
You can add a few drops of lemon juice to your drinking water.

A child with xerostomia should follow a special diet that excludes dry and salty foods. Croutons, chips, salted fish and canned food are prohibited. You should also avoid large amounts of chocolate and cocoa.
A toothbrush for a child who often suffers from dry mouth must be chosen correctly. Only brushes with soft bristles are suitable for such children, which will not injure the gums and tongue.
It is better to choose medicinal toothpastes and rinses. A line of care products for dry oral cavity, in particular, is available from the manufacturer "Lacalut".

It is important to avoid relapses after treatment. Therefore, parents should be very careful about what medicines to give their child. The instructions for use for each drug in the "Side Effects" section indicate whether this drug can cause dry mouth. If so, then it is better to refuse taking the medicine, asking the doctor to prescribe an analogue that does not have such a side effect.
The room where the child lives should always have sufficient humidified air. It is best to maintain a humidity level of 50-70%. A home household hygrometer will help to measure it, and an air humidifier, which can be bought at any home appliance store or in a specialized children's goods store, will help to maintain it at the set values.