Trazodone and Dry Mouth: An Overview
Dry mouth is one of the most common side effects of
trazodone hydrochloride (
Desyrel®). In studies, up to 33.8 percent of people reported dry mouth as one of the
trazodone side effects, compared to 20.3 percent of people who were not taking the drug.
Trazodone and Dry Mouth: Recommendations
If you are taking trazodone and dry mouth occurs, there are some things that you can do to help relieve this. Some of these suggestions include:
- Sip water or sugarless drinks often.
- Sip water or sugarless drinks during meals. This will make chewing and swallowing easier. It may also improve the taste of food.
- Avoid drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and some sodas. Caffeine can dry out the mouth.
- Don't use tobacco or alcohol. They dry out the mouth.
- Use a humidifier at night.
- Be aware of spicy or salty foods. These may cause pain in a dry mouth.
- Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless, hard candy to stimulate saliva flow; cinnamon or mint-flavored candies are good choices.
Trazodone and Dry Mouth: Final Thoughts
If you develop a dry mouth while taking trazodone, and the suggestions in this article do not help, talk with your healthcare provider.
He or she may be able to recommend treatments, such as artificial saliva. Also, depending on how severe the dry mouth is, he or she may also make adjustments to your trazodone dosing or recommend another
antidepressant.
