Dry Throat Causes & Treatments

Dry throat is an uncomfortable and often painful problem that can lead to a variety of accompanying symptoms, including difficulty swallowing, coughing, heartburn, body aches, vomiting, and fever. Dry throat is often related to mouth breathing and snoring at night, and is sometimes an early symptom of a cold or flu. Other more serious conditions, such as asthma or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), may also be the source of the problem.

What Causes Dry Throat?

Dry throat causes range from environmental factors, such as dry or cold air, to lifestyle choices like smoking and alcohol consumption. Dry throat is also a common side effect from certain medications. Other causes include:

• Indoor heaters
• Consumption of caffeine and alcohol
• Irritation of mucus membrane
• Smoking
• Dust/air pollution
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Allergies

Identifying the cause of your dry throat is the first step toward finding relief. Talk to your doctor about potential causes. A physician can test for more serious conditions and may be able to reduce or switch you off medications with problematic side effects.

Dry Throat Treatments

When it comes to treating dry mouth and dry throat, increasing your fluid intake is a good place to start. Other home treatments include:

Saltwater gargle

Gargling warm saltwater is one easy way to help relieve throat dryness. Salt works to both cleanse and draw out moisture from bacteria and tissue. Try gargling for about one minute, one or two times daily – and don’t forget to spit it out when you’re done. Not a fan of salt? Other gargling alternatives include apple cider vinegar, aloe vera juice, and a half-teaspoon of baking soda mixed in a glass of warm water.

Tea with Honey

Honey has anti-bacterial properties and has long been used to soothe dry and sore throats. Try mixing honey in hot tea for some much-needed relief.

Humidifiers

Using a humidifier is one way to combat the environmental factors that can lead to dry throat. Dry air, worsened by the use of indoor heaters during the winter months, is one of the most common culprits. Try utilizing a humidifier at night to add moisture to the air and improve the overall comfort of your home.

Lifestyle Changes

If you’re constantly struggling with dry throat, quitting smoking and reducing your consumption of alcohol and caffeine is a good place to start. Cigarettes and alcohol are especially irritating to throat tissues.

How OraCoat® XyliMelts® Discs Can Help a Dry Throat

In addition to home remedies and lifestyle changes, products such as XyliMelts discs can help provide temporary relief from dry throat. XyliMelts discs are designed with adhering-disc technology that stays in place for hours and helps increase moisture in the mouth. There are several benefits to using XyliMelts discs to fight dry throat:

• Can be used while sleeping
• No affect on speaking or appearance during daytime use
• Increases saliva*
• Freshens breath
• Lasts for hours
• Coats moisturizes and lubricates *

If you’ve been struggling with dry throat either at night or during the day, there are many different steps you can take to alleviate dryness, itchiness, and pain. Talk to your doctor about the root cause of your dry throat, and utilize moisture-stimulating products like XyliMelts discs to find temporary relief.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.