Why does the elderly have dry mouth?

There are many reasons why the elderly suffer from dry mouth, including both physiological reasons and disease reasons. The first physiological reason is thirst. Secondly, if you have chronic cheilitis, it will also cause symptoms of dry lips and dry mouth. Of course, there are also disease reasons. For example, the elderly are a high-risk group for diabetes, and after getting diabetes, they are prone to symptoms of dry mouth.

Why does the elderly have dry mouth?

Dry lips are generally a sign of chronic cheilitis, which can be improved through diet and changing bad habits. If you are extremely thirsty, you should be alert to whether you have high blood sugar and seek medical attention promptly.

Many people lick their lips unconsciously because they feel their lips are dry and chapped. The result is often counterproductive, and the symptoms of dry lips are aggravated, and even cause swelling of the lips and blood scabs. In fact, the above symptoms are generally typical manifestations of chronic cheilitis.

Chronic cheilitis is a chronic nonspecific inflammatory lesion of the lips, which is mostly caused by various long-term and continuous stimulation, such as dryness, cold, use of inferior lipstick or continuous use of non-fading lipstick, especially related to bad habits such as licking and biting the lips. When you lick your lips with your tongue, the moisture brought by the saliva will not only evaporate quickly, but will also take away the little moisture that already exists on the lips, causing a vicious cycle of the more you lick, the drier the lips become. In severe cases, it may even cause pigmentation on the skin at the corners of the mouth.

Lips scab easily and also are related to this bad habit of licking lips. Since saliva contains a variety of digestive enzymes, after the saliva on the lips evaporates, large molecules of protein will remain on the lips and form a scab together with the shed cells on the lips. Since the tissue under the scab is incomplete, if it is torn off forcibly, it will cause more local exudation and thus form more scabs.

If you are extremely thirsty and drinking water does not help, it may be caused by a physical problem or endocrine disorder. You should be especially alert to the presence of high blood sugar. Once such symptoms occur, it is recommended to go to the hospital to test blood sugar levels and kidney function.

Can't lick chapped lips

Experts believe that the first thing to do when you have dry lips is to look for the cause in your own body, such as whether you often eat foods that are likely to cause getting a sore throat. Do you drink less water on a daily basis? Analyze this and then make targeted adjustments. For example, you can supplement some vegetables and fruits containing vitamin B2, such as oranges, carrots and other yellow fruits and vegetables, drink more water, eat less spicy and barbecued foods, etc.

Do not lick chapped lips with your tongue. Use moisturizing lip balm correctly. There are so many different lip balms on the market today that it’s hard to choose. In fact, you only need to choose lip balms containing basic moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin. A better option is to use a lip balm containing vitamin E. It is recommended to choose colorless lip balms with fewer irritating ingredients.

You should not use lip balm too often, generally 1 to 3 times a day is enough. Because excessive use will reduce the lips' own barrier ability and reduce sebaceous gland secretion. Once you take off the lip balm, your lips will feel drier.

It is best to use it before going out, before applying lipstick, and before going to bed. If your lips are particularly dry, you can apply lip balm immediately after eating or drinking. After applying, gently press your lips with a soft tissue to double the effect.