Dry Mouth and Excessive Thirst

Okay. As a cause of mouth dryness, dehydration is among the most common AND the most reversible. That is, it's often easy to fix. Drink more fluids (unless you were instructed not to do so by your doctors).

If you have an underlying medical condition that makes you prone to repeated or chronic dehydration -- such as diabetes or colitis with chronic diarrhea -- treatment of the underlying condition, rather than specific treatment of dry mouth, tends to help the most. Talk to your doctor about how you might better avoid dehydration.

Okay, we're nearly done. This next question is about the parotid gland. It's located just below the ear, in front of the jaw, and is one of the major salivary glands.

Have you ever had enlargement of the parotid gland? It may have been called parotitis, or inflammation of the parotid gland.

Yes, but only on one side.

Yes, both salivary glands have been enlarged.

Nope, never had an enlarged salivary gland.