There is a variety of possible causes of dry mouth and dry tongue. Among the most common causes of dry mouth and tongue are side effects. For example, a person may experience dry mouth and tongue symptoms as a side effect of medication use, illness, or even treatments used for a medical condition. Dehydration is also among the most common causes of dry mouth and dry tongue. Additionally, lifestyle choices may contribute to the development of related symptoms. For instance, smoking and leaving one’s mouth open while breathing may contribute to these symptoms as well.

In many cases, symptoms of dry mouth and tongue are caused by medication use. Many medications cause these symptoms as a side effect. For example, a person may experience such symptoms while taking medications to treat depression, hypertension, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. Drugs used in the treatment of asthma, upper respiratory infections, upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, and anxiety may cause dry mouth as well. Even medications used in making people more comfortable while they are suffering from the common cold may contribute to it.

There are also many conditions that may cause a person to have dry mouth and tongue symptoms. For example, such conditions as sleep apnea, asthma, high blood pressure, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and cystic fibrosis may make these symptoms more likely to develop. A person may also be more prone to the symptoms because of conditions such as anemia and rheumatoid arthritis. Likewise, some stroke sufferers may be more likely to develop dry mouth and dry tongue. Dehydration is also a frequent cause of these symptoms.

Sometimes medical treatments cause symptoms of dry mouth and tongue. For instance, there are some treatments that may damage a person’s salivary glands and cause his mouth and tongue to be drier than normal. This may sometimes happen when a person is undergoing medical treatment for cancer, such as radiation treatments and chemotherapy. The result may be dry mouth and tongue that is caused by a decrease in the amount of saliva that is produced.

An individual may sometimes contribute to his own development of dry mouth and tongue because of his lifestyle choices. For example, smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco may make a person more likely to develop these symptoms or may at least make already-developed symptoms worse. Likewise, a person may make these symptoms worse by breathing with his mouth open for a long period of time.