💧 Xerostomia (Dry Mouth)
Xerostomia is the medical term for dry mouth, a condition where the salivary glands don’t produce enough saliva to keep the mouth moist.
🧬 Causes:
- Medications (antihistamines, antidepressants, antihypertensives, etc.)
- Aging
- Radiation therapy to head and neck
- Autoimmune diseases (e.g., Sjögren’s syndrome)
- Dehydration
- Nerve damage
- Diabetes
- Tobacco and alcohol use
🩺 Symptoms:
- Dry, sticky feeling in the mouth
- Difficulty chewing, swallowing, or speaking
- Altered taste or loss of taste
- Sore throat or hoarseness
- Cracked lips or mouth sores
- Increased dental decay and gum disease
- Bad breath
🔍 Diagnosis:
- Medical history and symptom review
- Oral examination
- Saliva flow measurement tests
- Blood tests for autoimmune diseases if suspected
💊 Treatment:
- Identify and manage underlying cause
- Increase fluid intake
- Use saliva substitutes or oral moisturizers
- Chew sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free candies to stimulate saliva
- Good oral hygiene to prevent tooth decay
- Medications like pilocarpine or cevimeline to stimulate saliva in some cases