XEROSTOMIA

Course overview

XEROSTOMIA IS DEFINED AS THE SENSATION OF ORAL DRYNESS. PATIENTS USUALLY REPORT MOUTH DRYNESS, ORAL BURNING, SWALLOWING DIFFICULTY, AND DECREASED OR ALTERED TASTE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS CAUSES OF XEROSTOMIA; THE MOST COMMON CAUSE IS MEDICATION SIDE EFFECTS, FOLLOWED BY SJOGREN SYNDROME (SS) AND RADIOTHERAPY AND OTHER AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. 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. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF XEROSTOMIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM TO AID IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH XEROSTOMIA.