Dry Mouth Flashcards
Key causes of dry mouth
Going from most common to least common:
1. medication related
2. Dehydration
3. anxiety
4. mouth breathing
5. diabetes
6. radiotherapy
7. systemic disease e.g. Sjogren’s syndrome
8. diurnal variation
9. salivary gland aplasia
Xerostoma
Experiencing the sensation of dry mouth
Dry mouth
Having clinically diagnosed dry mouth
Intra-oral examination: signs indicative of a dry mouth
- mirror sticking to surfaces (mucosa, tongue etc)
- Saliva looks frothy or not present
- Glossy oral mucosa especially on palate
- Tongue lobulated/fissure
- Debris sticking to teeth etc.
Types of caries experienced by dry mouth patients: smooth surface caries (two or more teeth effected)
Evidence of candidosis
Angular cheilitis
Erythematous mucosa
thrush
denture stomatitis
Pain in to
Candidosis (or staphy aureus)
Thrush
acute erythematous
Denture stomatitis
Challacombe scale
Dry mouth scale (knowing whether or not your need to refer to secondary care)
Challacombe scale : 1-3
Mild dryness; routine check up
Challacombe scale: 4-6
Moderate dryness; further investigate if cause is not clear
Challacombe scale: 7-10
Severe dryness; cause needs to be determined (exclude Sjogren’s refer)
Salivary flow rate investigation
“Dribbling out saliva for roughly 15mins, not spitting/speaking as this would stimulate saliva production”
