Salivation, Salivary Gland Swellings and Enlargement, Sjogrens Syndrome Flashcards
What are the functions of Saliva?
(4)
- acid buffering
- mucosal lubrication for speech and swallowing
- taste facilitation
- antibacterial
What causes a dry mouth?
- salivary gland disease
- drugs (anti-cholinergic effects)
- medical conditions and dehydration
- radiotherapy and cancer treatments
- anxiety and somatisation disorders
What are the salivary changes with age?
17-90 years
Acinar tissue loss.
37% submandibular gland
32% parotid gland
45% minor glands
What can indirectly cause salivary problems?
anti-muscarinic cholinergic drugs:
* tricyclic antidepressant
* antipsychotics
* antihistamine
* atropine
* diuretics (overuse)
* cytotoxics (chemotherapy)
chronic medical problems inducing dehydration:
* diabetes (mellitus and insipidus)
* renal disease
* stroke
* addison’s disease
* persistent vomiting
acute medical problems:
* acute oral mucosal diseases
* burns vesiculobullous diseases
* haemorrhage
What can directly cause salivary problems?
- aplasia (ectodermal dysplasia)
- sarcoidosis
- HIV disease
- gland infiltration (amyloidosis, haemochromatosis)
- cystic fibrosis
How can HIV disease affect the saliva?
HIV disease can cause increased size of salivary glands.
What causes amyloid and haemachromatosis?
gene
HFE gene mutation that 1 in 10 people carry
What is the scale that can be used to assess dry mouth?
The Challacombe Scale of Mucosal Dryness.
Score of 1 to 10.
What are the scores on the Challacombe Scale of Oral Dryness, and what do they mean?
1 - mirror sticks to buccal mucosa
2 - mirror sticks to tongue
3 - saliva frothy
Score 1-3 indicates mild dryness. May not need treatment management. Sugar-free chewing gum for 15 mins, twice daily and attention to hydration is needed. Routine checkup monitoring needed.
4 - no saliva pooling in FoM
5 - tongue shows generalised shortenned papillae (mild depapillation)
6 - altered gingival architecture (i.e. smoot)
Score 4-6 indicates moderate dryness. Sugar-free chewing gum or simple sialogogues may be required. Needs to be investigated further if reasons for dryness are not clear. Saliva substitutes and topical fluoride may be helpful. Monitor at regular intervals especially for early decay and symptom change.
7 - glassy appearance of oral mucosa, especially palate
8 - tongue lobulated/fissured
9 - cervical caries (more than 2 teeth)
10 - debris on paalte or sticking to teeth
Score 7-10 indicates severe dryness. Saliva substitutes and topical fluoride usually needed. Cause of hyposalivation needs to be ascertained and Sjogrens Syndrome excluded. Refer for investigation and diagnosis. Patients then need to be monitored for changing symptoms and signs, with possible further specialist input if worsening.
What special investigations can be carried out for salivary disease?
Blood tests:
* FBS
* U&Es
* Liver functions tests
* C-reactive proteinn
* glucose
* anti ro antibody
* anti la antibody
* antinnuclear antibody
* complement C3 and C4
Functional Assay:
* salivary flow
Tissue Assay:
* labial gland biopsy
Imaging:
* plain radiographs (reduced dose - stones)
* sialography (contrast to show ducts)
* MR sialography (IV contrast)
* ultrasound
Why is the labial gland biopsied for investigation of salivary disease?
instead of other glands
There is a risk of damage to the facial nerve is a major gland is biopsied.
Labial gland biopsy has less risk of damage.
List examples of somatoform diseases that can cause a dry mouth.
oral dysaesthesia (burning mouth syndrome)
TMD pain
headache
neck/back pain
dyspepsia (indigestion)
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
What is the normal rate of saliva at rest and when stimulated?
Normal resting flow: 0.3-0.4 mL/min
Normal stimulated flow: 1-2mL/min
What is the abnormal rate (hyposalivation) of saliva at rest and when stimulated?
Abnormal resting flow: <0.1mL/min
Abnormal stimulated flow: <0.5mL/min
What investigations should be carried out for a dry mouth?
(5)
Salivary flow tests:
* less than 1.5mL unstimulated flow in 15mins
Blood tests to exclude:
* dehydration - U&Es, Glucose
* autoimmune disease - ANA, Anti-Ro, Anti-La (ENA screen)
* complemet levels - C3 and C4
Imaging:
* salivary ultrasound (preferred) - looking for ‘leopard spots’ or sialectasis
* sialography - useful where obstruction/ductal disease is suspected (uses ionising radiation)
Dry eyes screen:
* refer to optician for assessment of tear film (preferred)
* Schirmer test - tear flow less than 5mm wetting of test paper in 15mins
Labial gland biopsy:
* look for lymphocytic infiltrate and focal acinar disease
How to manage a dry mouth?
Prevention of oral disease:
* caries risk assessment
* candia/staphylococci awareness and reduction (low sugar diet and OHI)
Dietary advice
Fluoride advice and application
Treatment planning for a caries risk mouth
What are examples of salivary “substitutes”?
Sprays - relief for a few minutes only:
* glandosane
* saliva orthana
Lozenges:
* saliva orthana
* saliva stimulating tablets (SST)
Salivary stimulants:
* pilocarpine (Salagen) - side effcts include tachycardia and sweating
Oral Care Systems:
* Oral Balance
Frequent sips of water