Semaglutide dry mouth: causes, duration, and tips for relief

Some side effects of semaglutide are expected. Take nausea, for instance, the most commonly reported side effect of this medication. Others, like semaglutide dry mouth, can take people by surprise. But dry mouth can happen in some cases, and when it does, it can make your day-to-day life more uncomfortable.

If you do experience semaglutide dry mouth, there are ways to manage it. Keep reading to learn why this might happen, how to manage symptoms, and what to expect. 

Possibly, but in clinical studies of semaglutide involving thousands of people, dry mouth wasn’t a documented side effect. Some people say they’ve had dry mouth on semaglutide, but it’s not clear if the drug is to blame. More research is needed to know for sure. 

Semaglutide is in the GLP-1 receptor agonist class of medications. It’s available under brand names Wegovy for weight loss and Ozempic or Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes treatment. Dry mouth is not listed as a common adverse reaction in the prescribing information for Wegovy, Ozempic, or Rybelsus, but there is one case series describing this phenomenon. 

This case study, published in 2023, describes three female patients taking semaglutide who visited their healthcare clinic due to severe mouth dryness, as well as “minimal frothy saliva.” After underlying medical problems were excluded (such as low water intake or a condition called Sjogren’s disease) as the cause, the females were diagnosed with hyposalivation (dry mouth). 

While this information is available via case studies, we need more widespread research to understand just how often this happens in people taking semaglutide. A 2022 report examining the FDA adverse event reporting system analyzed 45 side effects, finding 17 “new and unexpected” ones, including dry mouth. Since dry mouth is not currently listed on the drug label as a common adverse reaction, it can be a surprise if you’re taking semaglutide and experience low saliva or a sticky mouth.

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Semaglutide works in several ways, including decreasing appetite, improving the way your body creates and circulates insulin, and slowing gastric emptying. There are a few reasons semaglutide may predispose you to dry mouth:

• May promote dehydration: Researchers suggest semaglutide may act as a diuretic (causing excess water loss from the body). 

• May cause side effects that dehydrate you, such as diarrhea: In trials for Wegovy, 30% of people on a 2.4 mg dose reported diarrhea, compared to 16% on placebo. For Ozempic, about 9% of those on a 1 mg dose experienced diarrhea, compared to 2% on the placebo. Diarrhea (along with vomiting, another common side effect from these medications) can cause dehydration, leading to dry mouth. 

• May predispose you to catching a cold: Another potential adverse reaction is the common cold, and general stuffiness can make you a mouth breather, which can cause dry mouth. 

The three patients in the aforementioned case study all reported that they began to experience dry mouth about four weeks after starting semaglutide.

It’s not yet known how long semaglutide dry mouth lasts. Individual experiences seem to vary, but according to the limited evidence available, semaglutide-related dry mouth may improve within 4–16 weeks. 

Here’s what the three patients from the small case study report experienced: 

• Case 1: A 46-year-old woman on semaglutide developed dry mouth and coated tongue. She stopped taking semaglutide, and salivary flow returned to normal within four weeks.

• Case 2: A 27-year-old woman on semaglutide experienced dry mouth and chapped lips. She continued taking semaglutide and was treated with a prescription medication (pilocarpine). Her symptoms improved within four weeks.

• Case 3: A 34-year-old woman on semaglutide had dry mouth and bad breath (halitosis). She chose to continue taking semaglutide and, at a follow-up visit 16 weeks later, she had improved salivary flow.

Dry mouth can be a nuisance, but it can also cause oral burning, difficulty swallowing, and changes in taste that can really impact your quality of life. You have several options to find relief. 

1. Manage symptoms with lifestyle changes

Lifestyle strategies that promote proper saliva production include:

• Sipping water regularly (be sure to carry a water bottle around with you)

• Avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine 

• Consuming foods that are moist and easy to chew

• Using artificial saliva products (such as sprays, lozenges, or gels)

• Chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on sugar-free candy

• Practicing a good oral health routine

2. Use medication to treat dry mouth

If the strategies above are ineffective, your physician may consider prescription medication. Pilocarpine is one medication that may be used to treat dry mouth, as it increases salivary flow.

3. Address underlying causes of dehydration

It’s possible that dry mouth could be related to dehydration from other semaglutide side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. For example, if you’re feeling queasy, you may be eating and drinking less than usual, so your overall fluid intake may be lower. This could result in dry mouth. And if you’re losing fluid through vomiting or diarrhea side effects, dehydration can happen and, in some cases, can even become severe enough to cause kidney problems.

If you are struggling with diarrhea while taking semaglutide, you can help manage diarrhea by staying hydrated, avoiding foods and drinks that promote diarrhea (like caffeine or fried or greasy food), and taking OTC antidiarrheal medications when advised by your provider.

If gastrointestinal side effects feel severe, aren’t improving, or are making it hard to stay hydrated, reach out to your healthcare provider. They can help you find ways to manage symptoms and adjust your treatment plan if needed.

4. Speak to your healthcare provider about other options

One of the foundations of dry mouth treatment is to address the underlying cause. If semaglutide is the suspected cause, then coming off of the medication (under the supervision of your healthcare provider) may help your dry mouth, especially if symptom management strategies aren’t effective. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether this is the best choice for you and other options available to you for weight management or type 2 diabetes treatment.  

If you experience dry mouth that’s bothersome and impacts your comfort or ability to eat or swallow, contact your healthcare provider. Together, you can talk about an action plan to manage symptoms, try medications that promote saliva production, or consider switching to a different medication other than semaglutide, depending on your medical needs and preferences. There are a number of underlying causes for dry mouth, including autoimmune conditions like Sjogren’s disease, that your provider may want to rule out before moving forward with your treatment. 

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Semaglutide dry mouth is not considered a common side effect of the GLP-1 receptor agonist medication, semaglutide. However, there are anecdotal reports and case studies that suggest dry mouth can occur for some people. While it’s a good idea to consult your healthcare provider for any side effect that’s negatively impacting your life, here are things to keep in mind:

• Dry mouth can cause sticky, thick saliva, problems eating and swallowing, and sensations of burning in the mouth. 

• While this side effect is rare, semaglutide may cause dry mouth for a number of reasons, including its tendency to cause dehydration, which affects saliva production.

• There are several things you can do to relieve dry mouth, including taking sips of water throughout the day to stay hydrated, avoiding tobacco, using over-the-counter mouth-moisturizing products, and taking prescription meditations to improve saliva production.

• In some cases, severe semaglutide dry mouth may need to be treated by changing the medication you’re using. This should always be done under the care of your healthcare provider.