Dry mouth: Diagnosis
Diagnosing dry mouth
Useful tools to help you recognise reduced saliva flow and dry mouth in patients
Who is at risk?
-
Women
Dry mouth is more prevalent in women than in men1
-
The elderly
Dry mouth is more prevalent in the elderly population due to increased use of medication and susceptibility to disease*2,3
*This is more likely due to increased use of medication and susceptibility to disease rather than a feature of ageing2,3
-
Denture wearers
The group most at risk of impaired dental health from dry mouth are patients with dentures taking concomitant medications4
History taking
If you suspect a patient is suffering from dry mouth, the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs has highlighted four questions for which a positive answer is associated with salivary hypofunction:5,7
- Does the amount of saliva in your mouth seem too little?
- Does your mouth feel dry when eating a meal?
- Do you sip liquids to aid in swallowing dry food?
- Do you have difficulty swallowing?
Dry mouth symptoms: examination
-
Intraoral mirror sticking to the buccal mucosa or tongue6
-
Frothy saliva6
-
The group most at risk of impaired dental health from dry mouth are patients with dentures taking concomitant medications4
-
Loss of tongue papillae6
-
Altered/smooth gingival architecture6
-
Glassy appearance to mucosa, especially the palate6
-
Tongue is lobulated/deeply fissured6
-
Cervical caries (>2 teeth) and/or mucosal debris on palate (except under dentures)6
Diagnostic tests for dry mouth symptoms
The ADA Council on Scientific Affairs outlines three diagnostic tests that you can use to support a dry mouth diagnosis7
| Diagnostic tests | |
| Salivary flow measurement | Periodic evaluation of salivary flow rate that provides a tool for monitoring dry mouth symptoms |
| Blood tests | Biomarker testing for when dry mouth is suspected to be related to systemic |
| Biopsy | Minor salivary gland biopsy can be used to identify any underlying pathological changes associated with dysfunction |
ADA Council on Scientific Affairs xerostomia guidelines
For more oral care advice, visit the educational sources on our Learning Lab.
Offer your dry mouth patients a solution that suits their different needs, both day and night
Impact on patient quality of life
Find out about the impact that dry mouth has on patients’ daily lives
