| Xerostomia | Symptoms | Causes |
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Xerostomia is the lessening or lack of saliva. It is a condition in which the mouth is unable to stay moist due to poor functioning of the glands that produce saliva. Major causes of xerostomia include side effects of medications, radiation treatment or the autoimmune disease Sjögren's syndrome. Certain health practices, such as smoking and alcohol make the effects of dryness much worse. Xerostomia is easy to detect, but is not easy to correct. One of the first symptoms of xerostomia is the absence of saliva. |
If you experience problems with chewing, swallowing, talking, singing, and other normal activities, you could be experiencing common symptoms of xerostomia. Another symptom is that the cheeks may stick to the sides of the teeth.
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Dry mouth is due to inadequate function of salivary glands. Severe dry mouth is not a normal part of aging. Prescription medications are the leading cause of dry mouth. Other causes of insufficient saliva include side effects of recreational drugs; alcohol; trauma to the salivary glands, ducts or nerves; dehydration; excessive mouth breathing; or previous radiation therapy to the head and neck due to cancer. It can also be a clue to serious systemic diseases such as Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematous, rheumatoid arthritis, poorly controlled diabetes and hypothyroidism. |
| Risks | Treatment & Management | Additional Information |
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When intraoral tissues become dried out, the patient often experiences intraoral burning. This uncomfortable sensation can, in turn, make eating and swallowing difficult. The burning may, in fact, be an early manifestation of oral candidiasis, especially when the mucosa is fissured, red and has a macular appearance in areas over hard palate. You should also know that certain habits such as smoking, mouth-breathing and intake of caffeine-containing beverages, increase the risk of xerostomia. Decreasing or ceasing these practices, if possible, should have some impact on dry mouth. |
Although there is no cure for xerostomia there are definitely steps that an individual can take to help manage this condition. Below is a list of tips in helping control dry mouth. Below is a link to a list of common salivary substitutes that are available at most local food and drug stores. Two medications that are prescribed in the treatment of xerostomia are Salagen and Evoxac.
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