What Is Dry Mouth Syndrome?
Xerostomia
Xerostomia
- Xerostomia is not uncommon clinically, especially in older people. Due to the reduction of saliva secretion, patients feel dry mouth, foreign body sensation and burning sensation. When chewing food, especially dry food, they cannot form bolus and affect swallowing. The amount of saliva secretion is small, and the scouring effect on the teeth and oral mucosa is also small, which makes the oral self-cleaning effect worse. As a result, patients with xerostomia have a higher rate of caries. The taste of most patients with xerostomia is also affected, which can not effectively stimulate appetite, and will affect the function of the entire digestive system.
Xerostomia disease name
- Xerostomia
Dry mouth disease classification
- Stomatology
Xerostomia disease description
- Xerostomia care
Xerostomia signs and symptoms
- The reduction of saliva secretion in the oral cavity leads to changes in the local environment; due to the lack of self-cleaning effect and the decline of the antibacterial efficacy of saliva, the teeth are likely to cause severe caries or periodontal disease. Oral mucosa is dry and atrophic. Tongue quality is red, tongue coating is reduced, furrows appear on the back of the tongue, and a burning sensation is present.
Xerostomia disease pathology
- Traditional Chinese medicine believes that dry mouth is mostly caused by liver and kidney yin deficiency, and it can not be carried on, or it is caused by heat Shengjin injury, Jianjin fluid. I always think that dry mouths will not hinder the overall situation, and drinking plenty of water will solve them. In fact, dry mouth is a signal of many diseases.
Xerostomia diagnostic test
- The patient complained of dry mouth only as a general diagnostic basis, and further objective diagnosis was needed to confirm the diagnosis. The commonly used method is the measurement of saliva flow rate. Under relatively constant conditions, the flow rate is less than 0.2ml / 15min, which can be diagnosed as "dry mouth disease", and the flow rate between 0.2-0.91ml / min can be called "saliva reduction." ".
- Cube sugar experiments can also indirectly determine dry mouth. Place sugar cubes on the back of the tongue and observe the melting time. If it is not completely melted in more than 30 minutes, it can be diagnosed as xerostomia; if it is completely melted in less than 10 minutes, it is normal; if it is melted in 10-30 minutes, it may be dry mouth. Subjective and objective tests for mouth disease are often inconsistent, especially in elderly patients. There are many reasons that can cause dry mouth. Therefore, in addition to the main symptoms of the patient, a number of tests should be performed, including the measurement of saliva flow, changes in the oral mucosa, tongue, and teeth. If necessary, systemic examinations such as blood glucose and immune system should be lightened. Etc. to clarify the extent and cause of dry mouth.
Xerostomia treatment plan
- Treatment of xerostomia includes etiology and symptomatic treatment. The treatment is most effective in the case of clear etiology, such as drug-induced dry mouth. By adjusting the drug and its dose, dry mouth can be relieved. Dry mouth caused by increased consumption of saliva can be resolved by eliminating open mouth breathing and other reasons. If it is caused by the destruction of salivary glands, such as post-radiotherapy of head and neck malignancies and Sjogren's syndrome, symptomatic treatment is currently used to relieve dry mouth and reduce complications.
Xerostomia disease prevention
- No special.
Dry mouth safety tips
- About 30% to 50% of middle-aged and elderly people suffer from xerostomia of varying degrees.
- 1. Drink plenty of water daily. The method of drinking water should be taken several times, preferably a small amount each time. At the same time, you can gargle several times a day, you can choose Chinese medicine Ophiopogon 30 grams, Chinese bellflower 20 grams, 6 grams of licorice, soaked in water for tea or mouthwash.
- 2. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits. Because fresh vegetables and fruits not only contain a lot of vitamins and water, but also rich in crude fiber, they must be fully chewed before they can be swallowed, and the salivary glands can be effectively stimulated during chewing. In addition, you can often eat sour fruits, such as hawthorn, apricot, kiwi, strawberry and so on.
- 3, the daily diet should be combined with dry and thin, and drink as much soup as possible, while taking care not to be too salty.