HI dicottage,
I would also say it could be due to medication . But anxiety can usually cause a dry mouth especially if you are mouth breather. At times some people have something called
Sjogren syndrome which causes dry eyes, mouth etc.
I have dry eyes and mouth and have had it for almost 7 years. Some medications make it worse. But I do not use toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulphate . I use a toothpaste marketed here in Australia called Biotene which is specially recommended for dry mouth. It has helped me a lot over the years. Hope you can get it over where you are.
It could be a number of things. The first that comes to mind is a medication your taking. Dry mouth is a very common side effect of many meds. Check your drug locker! Dry mouth can also be a symptom of dehydration. You say you are taking "sips" of water, but sips won't get your systems re-hydrated. You need to drink LOTS of water. Try drinking at least a litre a day, more if you can stand it. A visit to your dentist may be in your future. Lemon drops are great for producing saliva......any kind of sour candy will help, even the sugar-free kind.
I'm afraid that is about the extent of my dry mouth expertise. If none of these helps, I suggest you see your doc. Hopefully someone else on the forum has gone thru this nasty problem and will have an answer for you!
Good Luck
Peace
Greenlydia
what med or meds are you on?