Xerostomia: Dry Mouth
Xerostomia: An Anatomy
Xerostomia can be defined as dry mouth resulting from reduced
or totally absent saliva flow.
Xerostomia is not really a disease
but it maybe a symptom of a medical condition such as Sjogren's
Syndrome (an auto immune disease), a side effect from cancer
therapy such as chemotherapeutic medications or radiation
treatment or a side effect of a wide variety of medications.
Common Complications
There are many complications associated with xerostomia.
It can affect dental, nutritional, and psychological health.
These can include difficulty swallowing, sore throats, burning
sensations, and even difficulty speaking.
Xerostomia will decrease oral ph,
which will increase oral plaque and dental caries. Also
yeast infections (oral candidiasis) are very common oral
infections associated with xerostomia.
Implications for Eating, Speaking using Dentures
With xerostomia, people will often have some or all of the
following complaints: Problems with swallowing, eating,
speaking, and wearing dentures. Dry foods such as cereals,
crackers, or other crumbly foods will be difficult to chew
and swallow. Individuals with dentures will develop denture
sores, retention problems, and difficulty speaking.
Some patients will develop taste
disorders, a painful tongue, and an increased need to drink
liquids. Other signs and symptoms will include cracking
or fissuring of the lips(cheilitis), ulceration or inflammation
of the tongue, and quite often halitosis.
Managing Xerostomia
Management and treatment of xerostomia first needs to include
the identification of the xerostomic condition and the cause.
In many situations it will be difficult
to eliminate or alter the underlying cause, so palliative
treatment can be used, but will not cure the condition.
Prescription medications such as Salagen(pilocarpine) may
help some while over-the-counter dry mouth products such
as Biotene brand products or artificial saliva products
will be fine for many.
It is also recommended to avoid alcohol
based mouth rinses and products containing sodium lauryl
sulfate. Many times patients can just sip plain water or
mix water and glycerine in a small aerosol bottle to get
satisfactory relief.
Proactive Monitoring for Optimal Oral Health
Patients who suffer from xerostomia need to take an active
role in their own management of their condition. If patients
are diligent with regard to both identifying products and
practices that are most useful to them, they can minimize
the risks to their dental health.
Patients must also do a thorough,
daily mouth exam to check for dark, discolored patches,
ulcers, or tooth decay. If anything unusual is found, it
needs to be reported immediately to their dentist or physician.
Xerostomia is a common problem and
if not recognized and treated properly, can have a significant
effect on a patient's quality of life. Through proper education,
assessment, prevention, and appropriate treatment, patients
along with their dentists can minimize xerostomia and its
effect on quality of life and overall dental health.
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