Xerostomia
Template:DiseaseDisorder infobox Template:Search infobox Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Associate Editor-In-Chief: Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2]
Xerostomia is the medical term for a dry mouth due to a lack of saliva. Xerostomia is sometimes colloquially called pasties or cottonmouth.
Xerostomia can cause difficulty in speech and eating. It also leads to halitosis and a dramatic rise in the number of cavities, as the protective effect of saliva is no longer present, and can make the mucosa of the mouth more vulnerable to infection. Notably, a symptom of methamphetamine abuse usually called "meth mouth" is largely caused by xerostomia.
Causes
It may be a sign of an underlying disease, such as Sjögren's syndrome, poorly controlled diabetes, or Eaton-Lambert syndrome, but this is not always so.
Other causes of insufficient saliva include anxiety, medications, or alcohol, trauma to the salivary glands or their ducts or nerves, dehydration, excessive mouth breathing, previous radiation therapy, and also a natural result of aging. The vast majority of elderly individuals will suffer xerostomia to some degree. Playing or exercising a long time outside on a hot day will often cause your saliva glands to simply dry up as your bodily fluids are concentrated elsewhere. Drugs have also been known to cause this problem, such as cannabis, and DXM.
Causes by Organ System
| Cardiovascular | No underlying causes |
| Chemical / poisoning | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | |
| Drug Side Effect | Apraclonidine, Benztropine, Bicalutamide, Cyproheptadine hydrochloride, Dexchlorpheniramine, Diphenhydramine, Loratadine, Mifepristone, Nabilone, Risperidone, Thiothixene, Trifluoperazine, Thioridazine hydrochloride, Trihexyphenidyl, Vilazodone |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | |
| Genetic | No underlying causes |
| Hematologic | No underlying causes |
| Iatrogenic | |
| Infectious Disease | |
| Musculoskeletal / Ortho | No underlying causes |
| Neurologic | |
| Nutritional / Metabolic | |
| Obstetric/Gynecologic | No underlying causes |
| Oncologic | |
| Opthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose / Toxicity | |
| Psychiatric | No underlying causes |
| Pulmonary | |
| Renal / Electrolyte | |
| Rheum / Immune / Allergy | |
| Sexual | No underlying causes |
| Trauma | No underlying causes |
| Urologic | No underlying causes |
| Miscellaneous | No underlying causes |
Causes in Alphabetical Order
- List the causes of the disease in alphabetical order. You may need to list across the page, as seen here
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Causes in Alphabetical Order
Complete Differential Diagnosis for Xerostomia
In alphabetical order. [1] [2]
With parotid gland swelling
Without parotid gland swelling
- Advance age
- Alcoholism
- Antihistamines
- Antihypertensives
- Antiparkinsonian drugs
- Antispasmodics
- Atropine
- Bronchodilators
- Continuous vomiting
- Decongestants
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Diarrhea
- Diuretics
- Drugs- Cyclobenzaprine, Haloperidol
- Infections with high fever
- Lithium
- MAOIs
- Neuroleptics
- Psychogenic
- Radiation therapy
- Salivary gland surgery
- Tricyclic antidepressants
Treatment
Treatment involves finding any correctable causes and fixing those if possible. In many cases it is not possible to correct the xerostomia itself, and treatment focuses on relieving the symptoms and preventing cavities. Patients who have endured chemotherapy usually suffer from this post- treatment. Patients with xerostomia should avoid the use of decongestants and antihistamines, and pay careful attention to oral hygiene. Sipping sugarless fluids frequently, chewing xylitol-containing gum[3], and using a carboxymethyl cellulose saliva substitute as a mouthwash may help. Aquoral may be prescribed to treat xerostomia. Non-systemic relief can be found using an oxidized glycerol triesters treatment used to coat the mouth.
References
- ↑ Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:77 ISBN 1591032016
- ↑ Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:68 ISBN 140510368X
- ↑ Jensen JL, Langberg CW (1997): Temporary hyposalivation induced by radiation therapy in a child. Tidsskr Nor Loegeforen 21:3077-9
External links
- Oral Cancer Foundation
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- NIH
- Sjögren's Syndrome Foundation page on Dry Mouth
Template:Skin and subcutaneous tissue symptoms and signs Template:Nervous and musculoskeletal system symptoms and signs Template:Urinary system symptoms and signs Template:Cognition, perception, emotional state and behaviour symptoms and signs Template:Speech and voice symptoms and signs Template:General symptoms and signs
da:Xerostomi
de:Mundtrockenheit
nl:Xerostomie
fi:Kserostomia
sv:Muntorrhet