Eight reasons why your lips will always look dry

alice

July 8, 2016 1:16 PM

Once in awhile we might feel our lips are dry but if it happens regularly then there is a cause for alarm. Below are eight reasons why our lips will always look dry.

Once in awhile we might feel our lips are dry but if it happens regularly then there is a cause for alarm. Below are eight reasons why our lips will always look dry, from Doctor Dennis Walker of the Danpong Hospital at Spintex in Accra who spoke to Pulse Ghana.

1. Dehydration: When the loss of body fluids especially water, surpasses the amount that is taken in you become dehydrated. The body is about two thirds water and so when the water level drops below that level, one could be dehydrated and this could lead to dry lips. The mouth has a mucus membrane which has the moist layer of the tissue and once it’s dry, one may experience dry lips.

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2. Urinary tract infection: This illness causes vomiting and fever and may cause one to lose excessive amount of water thereby making the lips dry.

3.Diabetes: when someone is suffering from diabetes, they tend to lose a great deal of water through urine and if additional water is not replaced, the patient may become dehydrated thereby causing dry lips.

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4. Stress and nervousness: this can lead to dry mouth, such as when you are about to speak to a group or have a job interview.

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5. Tobacco, Alcohol and caffeine: excessive intake of these substances can also dehydrate you because they are irritants which may decrease the moisture in your mouth thereby causing dry lips.

6.Nerve damage According to medical reviewer, William C. Lloyd, nerve damage can also be a reason your lips are dry. If you’ve had an injury to the head or neck, it may affect saliva production of the nerves.

7. Medications. There are more than 400 medicines that can cause dry mouth. They include self-medication and prescription medicines. Among some of the most common drugs that can result in dry mouth are antidepressants (drugs to control depression), pills for anxiety, pain medication, antihistamines (a drug that blocks the action of antihistamine, (usually used to control allergies), diuretics (also known as water pills, treat a variety of conditions, such as high blood pressure and glaucoma) and decongestants (they come in pills, liquids, nose drops, and nasal sprays).

8.Cancer Treatment. Chemotherapy can slow saliva production or make the saliva thicker during treatment, but the problem usually resolves once treatment is complete.

Radiation may damage the salivary glands directly, but whether the damage is permanent or not depends on the dose and location of the treated area and this can also cause dry lips.

Try sipping on a lot of water during the day or sucking on some toffees or gum to stimulate the salivary glands. If you are dealing with a lack of saliva, talk to your health care provider or your dentist about it and he or she may be of help.

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alice