Xerostomia

Excerpt

Xerostomia refers to the sensation of oral dryness, which can result from diminished saliva production. But, patients may report dry mouth even in the absence of a measurable decrease in saliva quantity. A lack of normal salivary flow may lead to complaints of mouth dryness, oral burning, swallowing difficulty, and loss or decreased taste.

Numerous etiologies have been described, but xerostomia mainly presents as a medication side effect, secondary to head and neck radiation therapy, and associated with Sjögren syndrome. Irrespective of a specific etiology, the patient's primary complaint is dry mouth. The treatment aims to alleviate symptoms, but a complete resolution is not always achieved. Initial management includes patient education, like regular water sipping and avoiding tobacco smoking, and local measures, such as artificial saliva . Pharmacological therapy, mainly with pilocarpine , is implemented when local efforts are unsuccessful.