From Volume 48, Issue 9, October 2021 | Pages 761-768
Dry mouth has numerous causes, including medications, radiotherapy and rheumatological conditions, such as Sjögren's syndrome. This article presents the common causes of dry mouth, and details the assessment, investigations and management required for patients with dry mouth within primary dental care, in addition to outlining secondary care investigations and management.
Dry mouth is a common presentation in the dental clinic, requiring thorough assessment and management, both for short-term comfort and long-term disease monitoring and prevention of secondary consequential disease. The causes of dry mouth may be local, systemic or idiopathic; however, irrespective of the underlying cause, maintenance of oral health and prevention of dental disease should underpin management within primary care. Loss of the oral cleansing, antimicrobial, lubricating and buffering capacity of saliva can cause a multitude of problems, including increased susceptibility to dental caries, periodontal disease, mucosal trauma and oral candidosis. Patients may report a deleterious impact on their quality of life, reporting oral discomfort or burning, impaired eating and difficulties with speech.
This article reviews the common causes of dry mouth, the relevant investigations and possible treatment options available.
The perceived sensation of dry mouth in the context of normal unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates is referred to as subjective xerostomia. Changes in the qualitative nature of saliva may contribute towards these symptoms, as can mouth breathing. Subjective xerostomia may also occur as part of conditions such as oral dysaesthesia and burning mouth syndrome. Symptomatic management of dry mouth symptoms may contribute towards an overall improvement in the patient's dysaesthetic symptoms.
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